Corridors & Secret Passageways
by misswhiteblack
Summary: 'We're going to cause some mayhem, kick ass at Quidditch and make sure that we leave Hogwarts with a lasting impression that cannot be rivalled.' James just didn't expect everything else as well ...
1. So What If I Didn't Make Prefect?

'James.'

He could hear someone calling his name but was unwilling to pull himself up to a state of full consciousness in order to open his eyes and respond. The voice calling him was familiar but he couldn't quite place it. It was light behind his eyelids but he was not ready to wake up yet. He pressed his eyes tighter together to block out the light. What good were curtains if they didn't block out the light? He turned over in his bed and found that the light dimmed when he was on his other side. That was so much better. Maybe he'd drifted right back to sleep now.

'James.'

This was a new voice. It was lower than the first and it seemed a lot closer. He still didn't respond. He could hear his floorboards creaking as someone moved towards his bed.

'James,' called the new voice again as a pair of hands shook him. He grunted in response that time hoping that whoever it was would leave him to sleep. No such luck.

'You've brought this on yourself,' the voice told him and before James knew it he had been pushed off his bed. He made painful contact with the floorboards and groaned as he opened his eyes. His vision focused as he rolled onto his back from where he had land on his left hip and looked up to see emerald eyes twinkling down at him. Then they disappeared. James got to his feet angrily and bolted out of his room after the sound of running feet.

'Albus,' roared the seventeen-year-old as he tore down the stairs after his sixteen-year-old brother. He burst into the kitchen to find his brother sitting at the table looking too innocent as he ate his breakfast. His little sister, fourteen-year-old Lily, was sitting opposite him in-between their parents, Harry and Ginny Potter.

'Oh you're up then,' said Ginny looking up at her eldest son. 'You had better go and get ready or you'll be late.'

James huffed and then, with a last glare at Albus, left the kitchen. He went back up the stairs and began to get ready. It was September 1st and today James was going to take his last trip to Hogwarts for his final year. He was feeling slightly apprehensive about it. After all, this was his last year and he needed to come up with some completely awesome pranks. Not only that but after this year he was going to embark on becoming a professional Quidditch player so he had to be extra good when Captaining the Gryffindor Quidditch team. He began to throw his clothes on thinking that it would probably be a good idea to take some pyjamas to Hogwarts with him. Apparently, the rest of the lads in his dorm didn't appreciate him wandering around in his boxers like he did at home. Not that there was no one who objected around here. Lily was constantly telling him that she was seeing far too much for a little sister. Not that James was particularly bothered. It wasn't like he did it on purpose. He slept in his boxers and then wandered around in the morning. It could have been worse. He could have slept naked.

James packed quickly throwing in his new school books and his robes but neatly folding his Quidditch robes and putting his broomstick in his trunk with great care. It seemed to be a ritual he had done every year since he had made the team in second year. Everything to do with Quidditch was greatly taken care of but as for the rest of his school stuff it didn't matter if it got crushed up. As he closed the lid on his trunk he heard a hooting by the window. His owl, Icarus, had just returned from hunting mice. It took James some time to coax the owl into her cage so that she could make the journey to Hogwarts.

'It's our last year, Icarus,' James told his owl solemnly. 'We're going to cause some mayhem, kick ass at Quidditch and make sure that we leave Hogwarts with a lasting impression that can't be rivalled.'

James glanced around his bedroom as he set Icarus' cage on the top of his trunk. He caught sight of himself in the mirror. He was a mix of both his parents. His hair was dark brown and uncontrollable like his father's. James often raked his hand through his hair to make it even messier. His eyes were his mother's, liquid brown and he was nearly the same height as his father now with the same athletic frame that came from Quidditch. He had bigger biceps than his father because James played the position of beater. Albus played seeker and Lily played chaser and all three were on the Gryffindor team. James had been Quidditch Captain for Gryffindor last year as well and had got a lot of stick for having so many family members on his team. It wasn't James' fault that his family were all the best players. He could hardly form a second rate team now could he, he had explained to Professor Longbottom, his head of house, when he had been confronted by him.

'James,' his mother's voice called just then. 'Are you ready? It's time to go.'

'But mum ...' James began about to complain about his lack of breakfast.

'I've made you a bacon and egg sandwich,' Ginny interrupted him.

My mum is the coolest; James thought as he levitated his bags and then went down stairs to put them in car next to Al's and Lily's trunks. He jumped in the back seat beside his little sister and immediate leaned across her to punch Albus on the leg.

'Ouch,' Al reacted. 'What was that for?'

'For pushing me out of bed,' James told him grimly.

'That wasn't me,' Albus protested, the innocence on his face looking all too real this time. 'That was dad.'

James frowned at Albus trying to see if he was actually telling the truth. Al wasn't the best liar that James knew. He looked like he was being honest but then again, James thought, why would dad push me out of my bed. After all, my dad, the great Harry Potter, surely had better things to amuse himself with than pushing his oldest son out of his bed on his last day of school. James eyed his dad as Harry got into the car. Well, then again, James couldn't be sure that he wouldn't do it.

In no time at all, the Potters had arrived at Platform 9 and ¾'s. James felt immensely satisfied by the bacon and egg sandwich that his mother had provide him with and was looking around the platform trying to spot his friends or even cousins. His cousins were easier to spot being mostly tall with red hair. A shout from his mother pulled his attention away from the crowd.

'Now James,' said Ginny seriously, looking up at her eldest son, 'please try and behave yourself this year. I really can't be dealing with a bunch of owls telling me of all your wrong doings. Look after Al and Lily and please don't get in anymore fights with Zimmion Smith. I know he's probably as big a jerk as his dad but please, for me?'

James looked at his mother sympathetically.

'Oh mother,' he said with a smirk, 'you know fine well that I can't promise not to prank anyone because you know I'd break that promise. Just ignore the owls. After all, it's my last year I've got to have some fun. As for Smith ... I don't normally start the fights.'

Ginny looked at him for a long moment. She knew that she was asking a lot of James. It was in his nature to be a prankster like his grandfather and uncles before him. It didn't help that his cousin Fred Weasley was the same age and therefore a most accomplished partner. Not that James' other friends were whiter than white. Still she supposed at least James would do well in his exams, which was more than could be said for Ginny's twin brothers.

'Okay,' Ginny relented, 'but look after Albus and Lily.'

'Mum, don't I always?'

Ginny smiled before James gave her a quick peek on the cheek and then jumped aboard the Hogwarts Express. He walked down the gangway looking for a compartment that he could sit in. He was always one of the first there. His mum liked to be on time and his dad always said that being late could make them miss the train. For some reason James had the feeling that that had happened to his dad before. Yet even with all the questioning, Harry had yet to say what had happened and his Uncle Ron wasn't budging either. It was no good asking Aunt Hermione. There was absolutely no way she would tell him anything that he could possibly think was something cool to do. James grabbed an empty compartment in the middle of the train and settled down to wait on his friends arriving. He passed the time looking out the window, waving occasionally when people he knew went past, like his cousins Rose and Hugo or the keeper for his Quidditch team Nathaniel Wood. He stuck his thumbs up as his Uncle George passed with his cousin Roxanne and knew that Fred would be descending on him at any moment. The door slid open just then and he looked away from the window, expecting to see Fred but instead Sage Longbottom came into the compartment his blond curly hair a mess as usual.

'Hey Sage,' said James as Sage took a seat opposite him.

'Hey James,' Sage replied rubbing the end of his snub nose. 'Good summer?'

It's crazy, James thought, just how much Sage looked like his father, Professor Neville Longbottom and yet also looked like his mother Hannah Longbottom.

'Yeah, it's was pretty awesome,' James responded warmly to his friend. 'How was your summer?'

'Spiffing,' said Sage in a fake posh accent that made James' laugh. 'Anyways, what was with the surprised look when I came in?'

'I thought you were Fred.'

'You thought he was Fred,' said an outraged voice from the doorway and James and Sage turned to see an outraged, ginger haired, freckle faced Weasley standing at the door, mouth open. This Weasley was Fred Weasley, prankster extraordinaire, eldest child of George and Angelina Weasley, twin brother to Roxanne Weasley and, to his friends, something of a Drama Queen. James and Sage burst out laughing at his face and Fred Weasley grinned as he plonked himself on the seat next to Sage.

'Honestly mate,' said Fred to James, 'I think you need your eyes tested. They must be getting as bad as your dad's.'

'My eyes are perfectly fine,' James retorted with a grin. 'It's just that I saw your dad with Roxy and I assumed that you would shortly appear. So when Sage came in I turned round expecting you.'

'Ah and so Mr Potter reveals the simplicity of it all,' commented Sage with a grin. 'By the way where's Olly?'

James frowned and looked out the window again. The big clock said it was eleven. Olly had better get there sharpish or the train would off.

'Olly's always late,' Fred interjected as he swung his bag up onto the overhead rack. 'I wouldn't worry too much.'

'Yeah but never this late,' Sage commented also looking out of the window with a frown on his brow. As he scanned the crowds he caught sight of some rather familiar, spiky Aquamarine hair that belonged to someone standing waving to someone on the train.

'What is Teddy Lupin doing here?' asked Sage looking round at Fred and James who both looked puzzled and joined Sage at the window.

'I have no idea,' said James and then proceeded to open the window in order to talk to Teddy. 'Hey Ted, shouldn't you be at home with your wife?'

Teddy Lupin turned round to see the three boys watching him out of one of the compartment windows. He smiled at them and then made his way closer to the train in order to be able to speak to them.

'Hello you three,' he said with a smile. 'My wife is at work and me, being the kind gentleman that I am; I promised my older cousin that I would take my little cousin to the station.'

'Oh Olly's here then,' said Sage in relief. 'Cutting it a bit fine aren't you?'

Teddy coloured slightly.

'Well, we had a bit of slow start this morning.'

Fred laughed.

'Clumsiness get in the way again?' he asked Teddy.

Teddy rolled his eyes. He had the unfortunate problem of inheriting his mother's clumsy genes. Although luckily, he had also inherited both his parent's brains and, even more luckily, had not inherited his charm from them. No, he had inherited his charm from his grandmother Andromeda, who was a very charming woman.

Just then there was a loud whistle and Teddy took a step back.

'Behave yourselves, you lot,' he called as the train began to move. The three young men sat back in their seats as the train gathered sped and eventually left the station. Fred's brow creased into a frown.

'So where is Olly?'

'I'm right here,' said a voice as the door slid open to reveal the last quarter of their quartet, a tall young women with a large amount of tumbling black curls, pale skin and a pair of deep blue eyes that seemed to sparkle as she smiled at her best friends. Olivia Black, known to her friends as Olly, looked like her mother, Kerr, who looked like her father, the one and only, Sirius Black. The only difference was the eyes. Kerr had her mother's moss green eyes and Olly had her father's deep blue eyes. The only problem with Olly was that nobody knew who her father was and the only person who knew wouldn't reveal the great mystery.

'Olly,' they all chorused loudly delighted to see her as she slipped into the compartment and then sat down next to James.

'You thought I'd miss the train didn't you?' she asked with a small laugh as she chucked her bag down next to her.

'Certainly did,' James told her. 'Why did Teddy drop you off?'

Olly and Teddy were cousins or, rather, both their grandparents had been cousins, which now meant that Teddy and Olly third cousins or something of the sort. It was quite confusing but luckily anyone who knew the Weasley/Potter extended family definitely knew how to keep up with it all.

'Oh mum's abroad at the moment with work,' Olly told them shaking out her long hair, 'so I've been staying with Teddy and Vic for the last few days. I tell you something Teddy's eating habits leaving something to be desired. Marmalade covered eggs, yuck!'

The three boys laughed at Olly's screwed up face.

'Grandma,' Olly continued, 'said that his father used to eat marmalade covered eggs at school and that neither my grandfather nor your grandfather, James, could ever understand it. I tried them. They were definitely icky.'

'Olly,' said Sage with a sigh. 'Icky is not an actual word. Vile is an actual word.'

Olly turned to look at Sage with her eyebrow slightly raised. Everyone knew what Sage was like and that was nothing like his father, brains wise. Yes, Sage was occasionally forgetful and sometimes a little clumsy and yes Herebology was his best subject but he was rather intelligent. Something he had taken from his mother. He was excellent at all his subjects and also did tend to study quite a bit. It had been no surprise to anyone therefore that he had been made a prefect. James, Fred and Olly had all been bypassed in the perfect department and the Head department too although James was Quidditch captain. The other Gryffindor prefect in their year was Fred's twin Roxy, who was as much like her mother as Fred was like his father. Roxy had also made Head Girl along with Ravenclaw Brett Wells. James and Fred had an extreme dislike of Wells because of the amount of times he tried to hit on Olly. Their dislike had increased when Ginny had told them that Wells was Cho Chang's son and eventually became loathing after he cheated on their little cousin, Lucy Weasley.

'Anyway,' said Olly brightly ignoring Sage's comment and looking between James and Fred, 'I suppose this means we're actually related now.'

James frowned and Fred looked confused.

'What means were related?' James asked.

'Teddy and Victorie getting married of course,' Olly said as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. 'Victorie is a cousin of both of you and Teddy is my third cousin or something like that so now we're cousins.'

James and Fred stared at her for a moment and then glanced at each.

'Yeah whatever you say Olly,' said James slowly in a teasing tone.

'I think she's off her rocker, mate,' Fred stage-whispered to James with a big grin on his face and Olly slapped him neatly on the shoulder, playfully.

'What was that for?' Fred said clutching his shoulder as though it had actually hurt and putting on a shocked expression. 'You could have seriously damaged by beating arm.'

James, Olly and Sage all rolled their eyes.

'Drama Queen,' they chorused together.

'Am not,' Fred stated.

'Are too,' James retorted.

'Am not.'

'You so are, mate,' Olly said firmly.

'Am not.'

'Sorry, mate,' said Sage to Fred who looked at him imploringly, 'I'm with them on this one.'

'Traitors,' said Fred and then stuck his tongue out before he laughed. 'Ah as if anyone could damage my beating arm.'

He then flexed his arm and kissed his bicep. Olly gave him a withering look. Fred was the Gryffindor Quidditch team's other beater. The team was really made up of Potters and Weasleys. Albus was the seeker, Lily was a chaser and so was Roxanne. Olly was the third chaser and Nathaniel Wood made up the seventh member of their team as the keeper. It was no wonder James had been accused of favouritism. One rejected student even went for Professor McGonagall who came down to the try-outs and said that Potter had picked the right people for the job.

'I wish I could play Quidditch,' said Sage sadly.

Sage was the only one out of the four of them that couldn't play Quidditch. It wasn't because there were no spaces on the team but simply the fact that Sage could not keep his feet either side of a broomstick, something he had inherited from both his parents. The thing was he absolutely adored Quidditch, maybe not as much as James who was pretty much obsessive but he did love it. No one had been as gutted as Sage when he found out that he couldn't fly in first year. It had been his first time on a broomstick, growing up in the Leaky Cauldron didn't exactly give one room to practice, and he had had a disastrous time but luckily, his father always said, he had never broken anything. Apparently, Neville, during his first flying lesson, broke his wrist. James, Fred and Olly, however, had been flying and playing Quidditch since they were old enough to crawl. Needless to say, they were good.

'Don't worry about it Sage,' said Olly kindly chucking a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans at him. She always seemed to have heaps of boxes of the sweets. 'You're good at a lot of other things that we aren't.'

Now it was Sage's turn to wear the withering look.

'Name one thing you aren't good at Olly?'

Olly opened her mouth to speak but then paused and looked thoughtful. The three boys waited for her to say something. Olly always came up with an answer for everything, even if she didn't really know the answer. It was a habit that a lot of people found irritating but Sage, Fred and James just found plain amusing. At least she admitted when she was wrong.

'I'm not good at staying out of detention,' Olly told him triumphantly. 'I'm absolutely no good at Arithmancy. I'm not very good at collecting Chocolate Frog cards. I'm not good at _not_ punching Smith. I'm definitely no good at remembering that I am, in fact, a girl.'

That one made the boys roll around laughing because the truth was it was kind of true. Olly didn't act like your typical girl. She was perfectly happy to get her hands dirty and had even learned how to fist fight from her mum. She didn't have girl friends, apart from being friendly with James' sister and female cousins and whenever she had a fight it was against a boy be it Smith, Davies or Bletchley. The only girl she ever fought with, and technically you could only call it an argument, was Kaiya Zabini who was a couple of scales short of being a dragon. Olly and Kaiya were chalk and cheese, James thought. Olly was definitely the cheese. Yum, cheese. Where Olly was tall, pale with a lot of dark hair, Kaiya was petite with straight, sleek blonde hair and large champagne coloured eyes that went well with her hair giving her an almost golden glow. Most of the year hated her. She was a stuck up, snooty, little cow. If she hadn't been then she would have been gorgeous. Her personality totally ruined her looks and James had told Sage that last years as perfect it was up to him to warn the ickle first years about Kaiya Zabini.

'Okay Olly I have to give you those ones,' said Sage with a grin.

'Give her what ones?' asked a voice and the four looked up to see James' little brother Albus standing in the doorway looking the spitting image of Harry with his hands tucked into his pockets.

Never mind Al,' said Olly standing up and ruffling his hair affectionately which was something she often did to James. 'What are you doing here anyway?'

Al rolled his eyes as he slid the compartment door shut again.

'Rose was patrolling the train and tripped over Scorpius' bag,' he said with a huff. 'They are having a huge shouting match and I couldn't be bothered to stick around to see what they said.'

'When are they going to admit that they are head over heels for each other?' asked Sage who, as a co-founder of the "when will Malfoy and Rose Weasley admit they like each other" betting pool was more interested in their latest argument that poor Al was.

'Hey,' said Fred slowly as though suddenly realising something as he turned to look at Sage, 'why didn't you go to the almighty prefect carriage, almighty prefect?'

The look on Sage's face was so comical that everyone else in the carriage burst out laughing.

'You forgot again didn't you?' said James as the laughter finally died down.

'I hope Roxy doesn't kill me,' said Sage getting up hurriedly and disappearing out of the compartment to find Roxanne to apologise.

'Maybe maim,' Fred shouted after him, 'but I don't think she'll kill you, Sage.'

They all laughed again.

'So you got prefect did you?' Olly asked Albus spying the prefect badge on his robes. 'That's you and Rose prefects for Gryffindor. Bet your parents are proud.'

Al nodded with a slight smile. He wanted to be Quidditch captain next year as well when his brother had left. He knew he no hope of getting Head Boy, not with Scorpius Malfoy in his year. Al had surprised the whole family when he became firm friends with Slytherin and Weasley enemy number one, Malfoy. Luckily though, Scorpius was a lot nicer than any of the previous Malfoys and in fact most of the Weasleys/Potters quite liked him except maybe Ron and George who were still apprehensive.

'So who is that now in your family that's had the prefect badge?' Olly asked turning to James and Fred. 'Victorie was a prefect and Head Girl, Dominique was a prefect, Louis a prefect and Head Boy, Molly a perfect, Rose and Al are now both prefects.'

James and Fred both grinned.

'Well at least I got Quidditch captain,' said James. 'You and Fred are the hopeless ones. Neither of you have had any badge.'

'True,' said Olly with a grin, 'but I'm not breaking tradition. Nobody in my family as had the perfect badge. Not even my Gran.'

She looked at Fred.

'How come this all turns down to me?' asked Fred his outraged expression back on his face. He pointed to Olly. 'Anyway she's a liar. Teddy was a prefect and Head Boy and she's related to him.'

'Yeah,' chimed in Al, looking at Olly, 'and wasn't your Uncle a prefect too.'

Olly shrugged obviously completely unbothered. James put his arm round her shoulder in a one armed squeeze.

'Just like our Olly,' he said with a grin. 'She wouldn't be bothered if all of us had been made prefect and she hadn't.'

Olly was saved from answering when Sage came back.

'Still alive then,' said Fred with a trade mark Weasley grin. 'I'm surprised you know. Those Weasley women have a temper on them.'

Sage scowled at him.

'What is it?' James asked.

'I couldn't find Roxy,' said Sage a little miserably. 'I found bloody Wells instead. Started shouting at me that I am a complete idiot just like my father and that I was useless and he had no idea why McGonagall made he a prefect since I couldn't even remember my own name half the time.'

'Why the little ...' growled Olly and James together as they both leapt out of their chairs starting towards the compartment doors, their intentions clearly marked up the expressions on their faces and the wands that were now in their hands.

'Whoa calm down guys,' said Al leaping in front of them. 'You can't go hexing the Head Boy on your first day back.'

'Can too,' stated Olly crossly. Neville was her godfather and if anyone insulted him or Sage they had to answer to her or James or Fred and if they happened to get all three then Merlin help them. They probably wouldn't make it out alive.

'Will too,' said James.

'No hold it a minute, guys,' said Fred. 'Al is right.'

James felt his mouth drop open as he turned to look at Fred. Fred said something sensible. What kind of alternative universe had he been sent to? Fred was sensible? Fred was the idiotic one of the group. He never said they couldn't do things because of the consequences, that was Sage's job.

'No need to look at me like that,' said Fred a hurt expression on his face. 'I'm just saying that I've got a great idea to prank him so we can get him back.'

'Oh that makes more sense,' said James plonking himself back in his seat.

'Loads more sense,' said Olly taking the seat beside him.

Al heaved a sigh of relief and sat down next to Olly. He had tried to stop James and Olly hexing someone before and it hadn't turned out well. James had put him in a full body bind and then covered him with the invisibility cloak and then had forgotten where he had put him until Sage had tripped over him.

'So what's the plan?'


	2. The Term is Vertically Challenged

James smiled as he looked around the Great Hall from his seat at the Gryffindor table next to Olly and opposite Fred and Sage. The roof shone with masses of sparkling stars with the odd cloud here or there, a beautiful night sky. At the top of the hall the Professors sat at their table conversing quietly among themselves as they waited for the Sorting Ceremony to begin. In front of the Professor's table sat a stool upon which was the sorting hat. James smiled at the hat fondly remembering his own first year at Hogwarts and how delighted he had been to sit under the sorting hat to be sorted into Gryffindor. His whole family had been in Gryffindor. Both sets of his grandparents had been in Gryffindor, his father, his mother, all his cousins, his brother and his sister. They were a legacy. He remembered clearly the sorting hats voice saying _"oh a Weasley Potter"_. He had been a little nervous about being sorted. After all, what if he hadn't been put into Gryffindor? He was though. The following year he had teased Albus mercilessly about which house he would be put in. Albus sailed through it and became a Gryffindor too. Of course, James had also been nervous for his friends. He had been best friends with his cousin Fred, Sage Longbottom and Olly Black since he could remember. They had grown up together. He couldn't have imagined what he would have done if they had all been separated. He hadn't worried so much about Fred, as a Weasley it would have been an outrage if he had been in Gryffindor. Sage and Olly, however, were a different matter. Sage's dad might have been a Gryffindor but his mother had been a Hufflepuff and Sage was quite a mix of his parents so it could have gone either way. As for Olly, her mother had been a Gryffindor but as they didn't know who her father was she could have gone anywhere. That coupled with the fact that Olly's Gran had been a Ravenclaw and the whole of Olly's family from that side were in Ravenclaw had been enough to make James nervous. Sage and Olly had been sorted before him though and both went to Gryffindor which had been a relief to James. This year was his last and final chance to watch the sorting ceremony and the first years would be arriving any minute. He looked around the Hall. Everyone was laughing and chatting happy to be there, back at school. James was certainly happy to be back, knowing that it was his last chance to cause as much mayhem as possible before he became a serious and responsible grown up. Yeah right! James almost laughed out loud at himself. The idea of him being responsible and serious was definitely laughable. He was glad he hadn't made the comment out loud. Olly, Sage and Fred would have killed themselves with laughter. He looked around at his fellow students and his eyes narrowed when he caught sight of the new Head Boy Brett Wells. The prank Fred had come up with was genius but James still wanted to break his nose for what he had said to Sage. He couldn't believe he liked Scorpius Malfoy, a Slytherin, over a Ravenclaw. Still, Wells was a jerk.

'Earth to James,' said Olly interrupting his train of thought as she shook him slightly. 'Are you with us James?'

James turned to find his friends looking at him with speculative expressions. Olly was grinning at him her hair falling over her eyes slightly. She stuck out her bottom lip and then exhaled sharply trying to blow the hair out of eyes. James smiled when it didn't work and Olly had to rake her hair back from his face with her hand. She rolled her eyes.

'Bloody hair,' she muttered just loud enough so James could hear her. 'So who were you eyeballing two seconds ago?'

Now it was James' turn to roll his eyes. Trust Olly to notice him glaring at someone. For someone who wasn't very observant at the best of times Olly was always very intuitive and always noticed when James was glaring at someone. He supposed it was vice versa really. He could always tell when Olly was angry at someone. Not that it was that hard to tell when Olly was annoyed with someone. She normally tried to have a staring contest with whoever she was pissed at and also liked to rant, at full volume occasionally punctuated by ranting under her breath. James had learned long ago that as funny as Olly was when in a temper if you laughed at her then her anger could quickly shift. A few people had fallen onto her bad side that way. Luckily, Olly wasn't one to hold a grudge.

'Wells,' James told her. 'I was just thinking that I want to ...'

'Punch him on the schnoz,' Olly finished the sentence for him. 'I was just thinking the exact same thing.'

'You two are always just thinking the exact same thing,' said Fred with a laugh. 'I think you've been ...'

'Friends too long,' Sage finished for him making all of them laugh.

Just then the doors at the bottom of the hall opened and Professor Flitwick entered with the tiny first years in tow. They were all looking around them in awe of the glorious ceiling and the older students that were all staring at them. James remembered how nerve-racking it had been to walk up the Great Hall in between the four tables with everyone staring at you. It must be worse, James thought if you were a muggleborn, not knowing anything or anyone. He, at least, had had Fred, Sage and Olly when he had arrived at Hogwarts. He'd also had Victorie, Dominique, Louis and Molly so it wasn't like he would ever have been alone. Even Teddy Lupin had been in seventh year when James had started. He couldn't imagine what his dad had felt like arriving at Hogwarts having been raised by muggles and then finding out that he was famous in the Wizarding world. James had experienced his father's fame and had not liked it one bit. James might be a confident, show off but that was just him and he didn't want people to take notice of it.

'Look at them,' James heard Fred say quietly. 'They are midgets.'

'It's not midgets, Fred,' said Sage rolling his eyes. 'The term is vertically challenged.'

Fred looked a mixture of bemused and irritated.

'I don't care what the term is, Sage,' Fred told his friend stoutly, 'but we were never that small at eleven.'

James looked around at his friends. It was hard to believe that they had ever been that small but James was sure that at some point he was once, maybe not at eleven. He heard Olly laughing and turned to look at her. She had a wide smile across her face and her deep blue eyes were twinkling.

'What are you laughing at?' James asked her.

'Fred,' said Olly shrugging. 'We were all that small once.'

James grinned.

'Yeah but surely we were taller than that lot when we arrived here,' said James glancing back at the first years who were now lined up in front of the sorting hat, staring at it in a mixture of confusion and nervousness. He couldn't quite believe how small they looked. He'd thought that Hugo looked small when he had arrived at Hogwarts but not as small as these new students.

'At this age,' said Sage quietly over the table, 'and at these varying heights it's hard to believe that we were as small as that when we started. We were though even Olly was that small once.'

The four of them chuckled quietly. James was the tallest of his friends standing at 6 foot, Fred was next at 5ft 11 ½, closely followed by Sage who was 5ft 11. Olly was the smallest of them but even at that she wasn't small standing at 5ft 10 which was quite tall for a girl. Still, Olly's mother had been tall and so had her grandmother. Olly found it a little strange when all the other girls in their year were 5ft 6 and under. She was even taller than Victorie by two inches and Victorie took after her mother, tall and statuesque. James liked the fact that he didn't get a sore neck just to look at Olly like he did with most other girls.

'Welcome first years to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,' said Professor McGonagall interrupting their laughter. 'I will call your name, you will come forward and I will place the sorting hat on your. It will sort you into your houses.'

'We missed the song,' James groaned gutted to have missed it on his last year. 'I really wanted to hear that this year.'

'Don't worry James,' said Olly with a friendly nudge. 'We can ask the sorting hat to repeat the song for you the next time we're sent to Professor McGonagall's office.'

Sage rolled his eyes just then as "Boot, Samantha" was sorted into Ravenclaw.

'Come on guys,' he said in a low voice. 'This is our last year here can we please see if we can keep out of McGonagall's office for the whole year?'

James, Fred and Olly all stared at Sage as though he had lost his mind. It would not be Hogwarts if the four of them didn't end up in front of the Headmistress at least once during the year. After all, this was their last year. They had to leave the school with a bang. They had to make sure that they were immortalised within these walls and that new generations of pranksters would look up to.

'You are crazy Sage,' said Fred shaking his head at his friend as "Entwhistle, Simon" was put into Hufflepuff. 'We have to causer mayhem this year. You worry too much. You know fine well that we'll all pass our exams. Well, I might not but I'm going to work for Dad so it doesn't really matter about exam results.'

James grinned. He wanted to go on to play Quidditch after school but he needed good grades in case that plan failed. Fred was going to work for his dad as the shop would pass down to him and it was exactly what Fred wanted to do with his life. It couldn't get much better than working in Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. Sage was going to work for the Department of Magical Education office but he wanted to eventually take over the running of the Leaky Cauldron from his mother. Olly want to ... James frowned. He didn't know what Olly wanted to do after school. Had he never asked her?

'What do you want to do after school, Olly?' he asked turning to her as "Jones, Horatio" was sorted in Gryffindor. Who named their kid Horatio? thought James.

'I'll either be a Quidditch player,' said Olly shrugging, 'or an Auror.'

The three boys stopped and stared at her for a moment. Olly wanted to be an Auror. She had never mentioned that before. In fact she had never even mentioned anything about what she wanted to do after school. A Quidditch player was understandable but why an Auror? Had she not seen some of the battle scars that Kerr, Harry and Ron had? Olly's mother was the worst. She was literally covered in scars from her battles being an Auror. Why would Olly choose that as a career choice?

'No need to look at me like that,' said Olly a little defensively as she frowned at them. 'What's wrong with wanting to be an Auror?'

'Nothing Olly,' began James unsure how to broach the subject, 'it's just ...'

'Well, it's really dangerous,' said Sage responding to James' plea for help. 'You remember that time your mum was in St. Mungo's for three weeks.'

Olly nodded. Of course she remembered that. She had been twelve at the time and she'd had no idea what was wrong with her mum. She remembered how awful her mother had looked when she had gone into see her with Harry and how she didn't really look like herself, her face was all bruised and bloody. Of course there had been other time, Harry had said when her mum had looked worse, but that had been before Olly had been born. Harry had told her that her mother had always been the hard worker. She had spent every waking minute at her job and that she tried so hard to make sure that no one was hurt when they went for a mission. If someone was going to be hurt she would make sure it was no one but herself. Harry had said that she was dedicated and that even though he was Head of the Auror Department he didn't know how many missions she went on. There were times she had ended up in St. Mungo's without him even knowing that she had been pursuing a suspect.

'Don't worry about the danger,' Olly told them seriously as "White, Richard" was sorted into Ravenclaw. 'It's just something I'd like to do with my life. I must take after my mum that way, I suppose.'

'Olly,' said Fred looking at her curiously, 'you could get really hurt.'

Olly laughed just then. She had an explosive laugh that burst out of her and made the three boys jump. Several of the students looked around at her. A couple of the professors even looked over at her including Professor Longbottom who smiled fondly.

'It's not funny Olly,' said James seriously. 'Something could happen to you.'

Olly's laughter died away and she looked at James her blue eyes still twinkling.

'You lot shouldn't worry about me,' she told them. 'I might be a Quidditch player yet. Anyway I can handle myself.'

James dropped the subject as the sorting finished and McGonagall began to speak to everyone. He looked at Olly out of the corner of his eye not bothering to turn and look at the front like the rest of the students. He didn't know what he do if someone hurt Olly. They had been friends since they were born along with Sage and Fred. All three of the boys were protective of her. Not that she really needed it. Olly was perfectly capable of looking after herself just like her mother. She was stubborn like her mother too. James' dad along with his Uncle Ron, Sage's dad and Fred's dad and even Uncle Bill had tried to persuade Olly's mum to get out of the Auror game but she had refused. Olly was just like her. James knew to never go up against Olly when she wanted to do something.

When McGonagall had finished speaking the tables started to groan under the weight of the food that appeared upon it. James grinned and immediately fell upon the food along with Fred and Sage. Olly smiled watching the three of them. They worried about her too much. Sure she could understand why they did but she could take care of herself. Olly sometimes quite liked them looking out for her. She was an only child and she loved having James, Fred and sage who looked after her like their own sisters. Olly was the only one that was an only child and the only one who had grown up with a single parent. James had Albus and Lily as siblings, Fred had Roxanne and Sage had his little sister Alice. Olly didn't have a sibling. She didn't even have a father or even a grandfather or an uncle. She had her mum, her grandmother, several great aunts and uncles and more second and third cousins that she could count. Still it didn't really make up for having a proper, complete family which was why she loved James, Fred and Sage so much. They had grown up together and they were all so very close. Olly didn't know what she would have done without them all. She smiled slightly and tucked into the good herself unaware that James was now watching her closely.

'What is up with you?' asked a voice to his other side and James turned round to see his baby sister looking up at him curiously looking absurdly like his mother.

'What do you mean?' James asked Lily.

Lily sighed and rolled her eyes.

'James you are so obvious,' she told him. 'It always very apparent when there is something wrong. You're even more transparent that Rose and Scorpius.'

'What was that?' asked James' cousin Rose Weasley hearing her name from where she was sitting a little way down the table.

'Nothing Rose,' said Lily sweetly smiling at her big cousin before she turned back to her big brother. 'So what's up?'

James shrugged a little.

'Olly just said she'd like to be an Auror,' he told his sister in a whisper hoping that Wood was sufficiently distracting Olly with Quidditch talk.

'Why is that a problem?' Lily asked.

James frowned.

'Well I don't want her to get hurt.'

'It's not as dangerous anymore,' Lily told him. 'After all, when was the last time that dad and Uncle Ron came home injured? When was the last time Olly's mum was injured, even? It's been a long time now. Olly wouldn't be in as much danger as our dad was.'

James sighed.

'I don't care,' James whispered angrily. 'I don't want her to put herself in danger.'

Lily gave him a curious smile which puzzled James a bit. He had seen that smile on Lily's face before. It normally meant that she knew something that he didn't. He knew not to press the issue though. Lily would not tell him and he could not force her. Lily was one scary little witch sometimes and she certainly knew how to duel.

'I'm sure Olly can take care of herself,' said Lily quietly. 'You'll just need to hope she changes her mind. You can do that or you can hope that she takes good care of herself. I think after seventeen years of friendship that you should know by now. Although I've only known Olly for fourteen years I know that and I am not one of her best friends.'

James sighed. He couldn't understand why he had a bad feeling about Olly being an Auror. He knew that Olly could make a great Auror. She was very like her mother but that's what worried her. Kerr was impulsive and sometimes reckless. His dad had told him that Kerr was the best Auror he had ever worked with but sometimes he wished he could knock some sense into her. James didn't really know what he meant but he knew how much Olly was like her mother. He turned to look at Olly who was laughing at something that Fred had said. Her pale skin seemed to glow as her blue eyes twinkled. In his peripheral vision James could see a couple of male students staring at her and not just at the Gryffindor table. Some of the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and even Slytherin male students were watching her. James turned to glower at them all.

'I don't need a father or a brother with you lot,' said Olly suddenly and James whipped round hoping she hadn't noticed him glowering at the students that were staring at her.

'What makes you say that?' James asked her trying not to look too innocent. That look always got Albus into trouble.

'Sage,' said Olly looking at Sage who was currently eating some cheesy leeks. Sage glanced up confused as though he wasn't sure what he had done exactly. James grinned at him glad that Olly had caught him basically warning the male student of Hogwarts off her.

'What did you do Sage?' James asked him watching Sage colour slightly.

'He told Thomas to put his eyes back in his head before he removed them permanently,' Fred told James with a laugh.

'Serves him right,' Sage said. 'He was staring at Olly with his tongue hanging out, well, practically.'

The four of them laughed. It was good to be back at Hogwarts.


	3. Nobody Should Have Potions First Thing

Slowly drifting towards consciousness one liquid brown eye opened which was quickly followed by the other. The right eye observed through the narrow slit the bed covers and the bed next to him which meant his curtains were open. The left eye observed only white which he believed was most likely his pillow. He felt groggy. Groaning slightly he turned onto his back to stare up at the ceiling of his four poster bed. Then feeling himself balancing on the side of his bed he tried to save himself but with no luck. BANG! His slim frame made contacted with the wooden floor. His right shoulder was in agony. That was the second time in two days. Did he have absolutely no luck at all? Well, he thought to himself, at least it was the other side this time.

'Ouch,' came the delayed response.

'James what on earth are you doing?' said Sage's voice and James opened his eyes again to see the curly-haired boy peering down at him for where he sat in his bed. James groaned and shook his head as if to tell him he no idea. He sat up slightly steadying himself, blinking furiously to try to get his vision to focus. His view became much more focused and he then tried to stand up but yet again luck escaped him and having his legs tangled in his sheets James fell back to the ground with an almighty crash which awakened yet another of his bedroom companions.

Jamesie,' moaned Fred's resigned voice muffled by his pillow.

'Don't ask,' muttered James gruffly as he untangled himself and got back to standing position. He shook his head picking up his sheets and returning them to his bed. He didn't bother to make the bed. He didn't see the point; he was just going to get back in it at the end of the day so making it neat and tidy made no sense. He dragged a hand through the already messy dark brown hair making it all the messier. He glanced at the clock on his bedside table and decided he's might as well begin dressing just as Sage was doing. He pulled off his pyjamas and pulled on his school robes. He threw the tie around his neck not bothering to tie it at present and then stalked over to the bed where the curtains were still closed. Pulling open the curtains he jumped on the owner of the bed who let out a whimper.

'Wakey wakey, rise and shine,' James crowed over the ginger hair that was all that could be seen of Fred Weasley. The covers shifted as there was a groan from beneath them and Fred pulled the covers up over his head.

'Go away, James,' said Fred is voice extremely muffled by the covers.

'Come on Fred,' said Sage as he pulled on his shoes. 'You need to get up. It's the first day of classes. We've got to get our timetables at breakfast so there is no way you can't get up.'

'There's no way he'll miss breakfast,' said James to Sage as he shook Fred. 'Come on Fred or I'll go and get Olly.'

The covers were flung back and Fred scrambled out of the bed hastily, his hair all over the place and his blue eyes blinking sleepily. James and Sage laughed at him as he immediately began to throw clothes on. The threat of sending Olly up always worked. Fred had had the unfortunate problem of having Olly set on him more than once before throughout his years at Hogwarts. Olly was very apt at getting him out of his bed. He'd found himself shoved out, cold water thrown over him, prickly thorns appearing from his mattress and even dangling by his ankle in the air. Therefore, whenever James and Sage wanted to get Fred out of bed all they had to do was tell him that they would get Olly. Fred was master at leaping out of bed and getting ready in double quick time when threatened.

'No need to laugh you two,' said Fred as he swung his tie round his neck. 'Olly is one scary witch when she wants to be.'

'Come on Fred,' said James as he and Sage headed towards the door. 'Let's go and meet the scary witch so we can have some breakfast.'

The three boys went down to the common room which had only a few students milling around including James' brother Albus, his cousin Lucy and Sage's sister Alice. James took one look around the common room and realised that Olly wasn't there yet. He frowned. Olly was always there before them mainly due to the fact that she only had herself to get up and didn't have to motivate Fred out of bed. It wasn't like Olly to be late out of bed even if she was late for everything else. James saw Fred who was looking for her as well. He looked delighted that she was nowhere to be seen.

'Does this mean I can go and get Olly out of bed?' Fred asked with a mischievous grin.

'No,' said Sage with a laugh. 'You can't get up the girls staircase, remember?'

Fred's ears turned a Weasley red as he remembered exactly why he couldn't get up get up the stairs to Olly's room. Back in fifth year Olly had played a prank on Fred which made him look like his twin sister. He couldn't quite understand why male students kept eyeing him up and trying to chat him up. He thought the whole male body had lost their minds. When he had found out what had been done to him and who had done it he had immediately tried to get up the girl's staircase to shout at Olly. Unfortunately, what he didn't know was that the stairs turned into a slide and had deposited him on his backside in the common room making all the students present laugh. Olly had relented and reversed the spell after that but had made Fred promise not to get revenge. She said she would put the spell back on if he did.

'You'd have to go back in time to get Olly out of bed anyway, coz,' said Lucy with a grin. 'She's been awake for a while now. She just went back upstairs to get her bag. She said if she waited on you lot any longer she'd probably not have time to come back and get it before her first class.'

James grinned.

'She should know by now to bring her bag on the first day of classes,' he said. 'We have to get Fred into a routine.'

'Why do you make me sound like a child?' Fred asked petulantly.

'Because you are a child,' said Olly's voice as she appeared from the girl's staircase her bag slung over her shoulder. She hadn't bothered to tie her school tie yet. Just like James and Fred she had it draping around her neck and the top two buttons of her shirt weren't done up. Sage was the only one who bothered to tie his tie before breakfast. The other three complained that restricted their throats whilst they were trying to eat.

The four of them made their way down to the Great Hall with Lucy and Alice in their wake whilst Albus waited on Rose. Sage and Olly chattered away about what class they were likely to have first and James talked to Fred about Quidditch. Quidditch was James' passion in life. A more excitable Quidditch fan could not be found anywhere. James lived, dreamed and breathed Quidditch. He desperately wanted to become a professional beater after he had left Hogwarts and he wanted to play for his favourite team, Puddlemere United. His mother had been a chaser for the Holyhead Harpies and he couldn't wait to begin playing professionally. Both his parents supported his passion to the fullest. Harry had often said that nothing would make him prouder than to come and watch James play Quidditch for Puddlemere United. His dad's old Gryffindor Quidditch captain Oliver Wood had played for them. Nathaniel Wood, Gryffindor's current keeper, was Oliver Wood's younger son. Nathaniel's older brother, Liam and his older sister, Marilyn had both played for Gryffindor. Liam was the keeper until he had left three years before and Marilyn had been a chaser until she had left two years ago. James knew that Nathaniel had hoped to be Quidditch captain but had to admit that James deserved it more than he did. James was looking forward to the beginning of the Quidditch season. He couldn't wait to get back in the air.

The four reached the Great Hall which already had most of the student population seated around having breakfast. James slipped into a seat with Fred on the far side of the Gryffindor table while Sage and Olly sat opposite them. James immediately reached for some poached eggs and toast. He loved poached eggs. Granma Weasley, the best cook in the world according to anyone who had ever eaten her food, made the best poached eggs ever. Olly shared James' love for poached eggs and had taken some for her own breakfast. James watched her carefully as she bent her head to begin eating a curtain of her black hair falling over her face. He smiled and bent his head to his own breakfast. After a few minutes he heard Sage laughed.

'I have never seen anyone eat poached eggs like you two,' said Sage indicating both James and Olly's plates. They had both carefully cut and eaten their way around the yolk of the poached egg so that only the yolk was left upon a small piece of toast the same size. This was the point that they would scoop up the piece of toast with the intact yolk and put it in their mouth. James normally smiled when the yolk burst but Olly made some rather interesting noises of pleasures which usually made the males in the area look at her speculatively.

'Olly got me into it,' said James with a rueful smile over the table before he scooped up the yolk and popped it into his mouth. He smiled as he chewed.

'It's just the best way to eat poached eggs,' said Olly who followed James' example and scooped the yolk into her mouth. She closed her eyes and let out a small hum of pleasure which made some of the male students turn to look at her resulting in evil glares from James, Fred and Sage. Out of the corner of his eye Fred could see Albus elbowing Will Thomas in the stomach. Obviously Thomas had not taken Sage's threat seriously yesterday.

'Olly, you need to stop making those kinds of noises,' said Fred turning his attention back to her as she opened her eyes.

'What noises?' asked Olly innocently. 'I didn't realise I made noises.'

'Well you do,' said Sage with a smile. 'The kinds of noises that make every bloke in the vicinity stop what they are doing and stare at you practically drooling.'

'Yeah cause with you lot around,' countered Olly, 'they are going to do anything about it. I can't help what noises I make. It's just so deliciously gorgeous when the yolk bursts.'

James shook his head with a laugh as Olly looked dreamily into the distance. Olly had eaten poached eggs that way since he could remember. When he had first tried it he couldn't believe what he had been missing. Everyone who ate their poached eggs the normal ways were missing out as far as James was concerned.

'Here come our timetables,' said Sage as he spotted Professor Longbottom and Fred's twin sister Roxanne slowly making their way up the Gryffindor table handing out timetables to each student.

'I hope we have Defence first thing,' said Olly before she shook a sip of her pumpkin juice. 'I adore Defence or maybe Transfiguration. I am so close.'

Olly was going to attempt turning into an animagus. She had been studying how to do it for three years now. She was getting very excited about finally being able to attempt it. Professor McGonagall and Professor Frobisher were saying that she was getting very close to being able to attempt it. Therefore Olly paid extra attention in Transfiguration even though she was technically ahead of the class with all the extra studying that she did.

'Do you think you do it this year?' asked James who had been considering the animagus idea for a little while now. He had spent a lot of time with Olly as she study the art. It was the only thing that Olly truly studied. Everything else came to her naturally but she knew how dangerous it could be transforming into an animagus and she didn't want to get it wrong. James didn't want her to get it wrong either. He was hoping that once he had finished school and was a professional Quidditch player then he would be able to attempt becoming an animagus as well. Olly had tried to persuade them all to join her but Fred and Sage they were happy as humans and James had told her that he wanted to concentrate on Quidditch in his final years of Hogwarts.

'I'm not sure,' said Olly with a grin. 'I think I might. McGonagall said I could do it this year. What do you think I'll be?'

'A pig?' suggested Fred with an air of innocence. 'Or maybe a donkey? Just because you're bloody stubborn.'

'Ha ha,' laughed Sage. 'What about a bull?'

'Very funny,' said Olly good-naturedly pushing Sage slightly.

'What's your patronus again?' asked James with a grin.

'A large cat,' Olly told him. 'Not a house cat though. It's far too big to be a house cat. I think it's a leopard.'

James looked at Olly curiously. They hadn't had a lot of practice with the Patronus charm so they hadn't really had much opportunity to see each other's forms. He had imagined that Olly's would either be a cat or a dog. A cat because she was extremely graceful but with a fierce natures and a dog because that's what her grandfather's patronus and animagus form was a great black dog.

'You're animagus form will probably be very similar to your patronus,' said Sage logically. 'You should asked McGonagall if that's how it usually happens. Had you not thought to ask her before this?'

Olly shook her head but was stopped from answering by the arrival of the timetables.

'Hello you lot,' said Professor Neville Longbottom looking down at the four students as he handed his son his timetable. 'Are you behaving?'

'Of course Professor,' the four of them chorused back looking very innocent.

'Here you are James,' said Roxanne as she caught up to where Neville was and handed her cousin his timetable. 'Fred, there you go.'

'Olly here's your,' said Neville giving Olly her timetable before he and Roxanne continued down the table. The four looked down at their timetables. Fred groaned.

'Potions,' he moaned. 'Nobody should have Potions first thing. Why did I agree to take Potions for Newt level?'

'Because the rest of us were,' said Sage shaking his head at Fred. 'You said there was no way that the three of us were going to take Potions without you.'

'I know,' said Fred miserably, 'but first thing? Does someone want me to die?'

'Don't be such a drama queen,' said Olly with a smirk on her face.

'I am not a drama queen,' Fred responded.

'Are too,' said James.

'Am not.'

'Guys, let's not start this again,' interrupted Sage before the argument could get any further. 'You just have to accept the fact that you are a drama queen, Fred. Just like James has to accept that he's more likely to get married to a bludger than he is to a girl.'

'Hey I objected to that,' said James.

'Olly needs to accept that no matter how many slimy gits she punches that they are always going to stare at her, chat her up and ask her out and that no matter what we will always be there to stare men down.' Olly frowned. 'And I need to accept that I study far too much than is healthy and that, if it weren't for you three, my life would probably be very boring.'

'Your life wouldn't be boring Sage,' said Olly in a comforting voice. 'You live in the Leaky Cauldron after all.'

Sage rolled his eyes and then got to his feet swinging his bag over his shoulder.

'Shall we go to class then?'

Fred took a last bite of toast and then jumped up with James and Olly and the four of them headed off to the dungeons for Potions class with Professor Vaisey, the Head of Slytherin House. Olly was one of Vaisey's favourite students although he did have time for James, Fred or Sage. Sage was extremely lucky to have taken after his mother where Potions was concerned so he wasn't a complete dunce. Olly however was registered Potions genius and she loved Potions. It was hard to choose between Potions and Transfiguration which subject she was best at. Sage's best class was Herebology, James' was Defence Against the Dark Arts and Fred's was Charms.

'What do you think we'll be learning this year?' asked James as they lined up outside the classroom.

'I hope we learn the Blood-Replenishing Potion,' said Olly enthusiastically, 'and how to make Felix Felicis. Apparently, it's very tricky to make and I've been just dying to have a go.'

James rolled his eyes.

'You would Olly.'

'Don't look now,' muttered Fred under his breath as Josef Bletchley, Tate Bole and Jacob Zabini walked up the corridor to join the queue for the Potions class.

James took a firm grip of Olly's arm. Olly had the habit of punching Bletchley down to a fine art. He was a foul, slimy git which made all four of them hate him. Bole wasn't any better although he hadn't been punched or hexed as many times as Bletchley. As for Zabini, he didn't really take much notice of them and so they took very little notice of him. He was the quiet sort that didn't bother much with anyone.

'Let's not start a fight on the first day back,' said James quietly into Olly's ear.

'I'll try,' Olly replied in a whisper glancing covertly at Bletchley and Bole. 'If they start it though ...'

She shrugged her right shoulder to indicate that she wouldn't be responsible for her actions if Bletchley and Bole decided that they would start a fight. They had been even more irritating than usual last year. They still continued to insult them but spent every other opportunity eyeing Olly up which made the three boys furious. They normally did it whilst Olly wasn't looking because if she had caught them then she wouldn't have hesitated in punching them both or hexing them both.

'Oh look,' said Bletchley's familiar low grumble, 'its Potter, the famous, Weasley, the stupid and Longbottom, the sad case. I didn't realise that they let you stay on for Potions this year Weasley. I thought you were too stupid to take this class.'

Fred's ears turned red and he balled up his fists in anger.

'Just ignore them. Just ignore them,' chanted Sage under his breath.

'What's that Longbottom,' asked Bole in a cruel sneer, 'talking to yourself just like your sad case father?'

'Shut up,' said James furiously turning round momentarily letting go of Olly's arm.

'What is it Potter?' said Bletchley. 'Can't handle the truth about your friends? Or is it that you're afraid I'll start on you, the son of the famous Harry Potter and a two bit whore?'

There was a flurry of black curls and robes as Olly dived forward her fists balled and her wand in one hand. Fury was on her face as he raised her fist in order to punch Bletchley in the face but was restrained by three pairs of hands. She fought furiously against James, Fred and Sage desperate to get her hands on Bletchley and Bole so she could punch both their lights out.

'Olly don't,' said Sage. 'They're not worth it.'

'Oh and look there's Black,' said Bole. 'Your mother and her mother have at least one thing in common except being blood-traitors, eh Potter? They're both slappers.'

'Let go of me,' shouted Olly struggling hard against James, Fred and Sage. 'Let go and I'll show everyone that their big man attitude is just to make up for having small pricks.'

Everyone froze for a moment when they heard Olly's words and even Olly stopped struggling in surprise. Then Fred, James and Sage burst out laughing. Olly looked at them and then laughed herself which made the three boys laugh even more whilst the two Slytherin's just stood there staring at them. Olly took her opportunity and, before James, Fred or Sage could do anything she had flung herself forward and punched Bletchley in the nose. She then turned to Bole who scrambled for his wand and she kicked him in the sort parts. Bletchley groaned and clutched his nose as Bole doubled over clutching his groin in pain.

'Olly,' said Sage in an exasperated voice, 'it's the first day back.'

Olly turned back around and rejoined her friends. James swung his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze still laughing a little. Just then Professor Vaisey arrived. He swept into the dungeon not noticing the two Slytherin's in pain at the back of the line. All the students trooped in after him. Fred, James, Sage and Olly all grabbed a table in the middle of the class. It had been an unwritten rule since first year. Olly and Sage had wanted to be at the front of the class and Fred and James had wanted to be at the back. Therefore, they had compromised and now sat in the middle.

'Welcome back class to your final year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,' began Professor Vaisey as the class settled down. 'For our first lesson we are going to be attempting to make Amortentia as a recap of last year. You will of course be working in pairs. I will be putting the instructions up on the board. Read them carefully.'

The Professor glared at their table for a moment but then pointed his wand at the blackboard upon which writing began to appear. James watched Olly as her face lit up and her eyes scanned over the instructions on the board.

'Well what did you smell, Sage?' asked James later as the four of them made their way to the Great Hall for lunch.

'Coconut, some kind of flowery scent and fresh ink,' said Sage. 'What about you?'

'Peppermint, broom polish and something that I can't quite put my finger on,' James replied. 'Olly?'

'Poached eggs, sweat and the smell of summer rain,' Olly said with a big smile.

'You smelt sweat?' questioned Fred with a bemused look on his face.

Olly nodded.

'I suppose that probably refers to Quidditch,' said Sage logically. 'Still a little strange but hey, what do we know. If sweat is what attracts you. Fred what did you smell?'

Fred opened his mouth but never got speak as there was the sound of shouting just round the corner.

'YOU COMPLETE JERK, MALFOY!'

'Three guesses who that is,' said James rolling his eyes.

'Rose,' said the other three together and sure as they turned the corner they saw Rose Weasley standing in the door of the Great Hall furious and covered in red ink. Malfoy was standing opposite with red ink all over his bag. Rose's ears were red from embarrassment and anger. Malfoy was looking a little pink.

'Well, it's not my fault that you can't look where you are going, Weasley,' Malfoy retorted in a cool voice.

'YOU WEREN'T LOOKING WHERE YOU WERE GOING, MALFOY AND YOU COULD HAVE APOLOGISED!'

James looked at his friends who were all smiling and shaking their heads. Olly wasn't the only one who could get into a fight on the first day back. Rose and Scorpius Malfoy were constantly fighting. For some reason the two of them had never taken to the other. It had resulted in some interesting fights that most of the student population enjoyed watching but had also made most of the students think that Rose and Scorpius were just trying to avoid the fact that were head over heels in love with each other. That was why James, Fred, Olly and Sage had started a betting pool on whether the two would get together. All of the Weasley's had taken part in the bet except from Granma Weasley, Aunt Hermione, Uncle Ron and Uncle Percy. The reason why Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione hadn't been included was obvious.

'Look Weasley I have better things to do that stand around talking to you,' said Malfoy in a calm voice as the four past the furious Rose.

'WELL I HAVE BETTER THINGS TO DO THAN TO TALK WITH A DEATH EATER'S SON,' Rose stormed.

James and Fred chuckled.

'She is always throwing that in his face,' said Fred.

'Yeah but poor Malfoy can't retaliate because we'll kill him,' James said grinning broadly.

'I can't believe it's only lunch time,' said Sage shaking his head as he took a seat at the Gryffindor table. 'It's been an interesting first day back.'

'Just the beginning of an interesting year,' Olly told them slipping into a seat next to Fred as James sat down next to Sage. 'I hope those two get together this year,' she indicated Rose and Malfoy, 'I would hate to not be here when they both realise that they're madly in love with each other.'

'Speaking of people who are madly in love,' said James through a mouthful of food, 'did you know that Al is madly in love with Alice?'


	4. Yay for Evilly Glaring

James sat at the Gryffindor table the following week happily eating his poached eggs and keeping a firm eye on Sage who was watching his little sister Alice laugh at something Albus was saying. James could see Al's eyes light up as Alice laughed. Alice, of course, was completely oblivious to the way Al was looking at her. James wished he had been the one astute enough to notice how his little brother felt about Sage's little sister but in fact it had been his cousin Molly who had pointed it out to him over the summer holidays. Quiet, studious Molly had been sitting next to James one night at the burrow whilst Al and Alice sat across from them laughing together. However, nobody had to know that he hadn't been the one to spot Al's crush. He was perfectly willing to tell his friends that he had been the one to spot the attraction between the two. He smiled remembering Sage's outraged face when he had announced Al's love for Alice last week at lunch. Sage had since then calmed down but James could still see the protective gleam in his eye as he practically glared at Albus. James was glad that Albus hadn't noticed. As much as he liked teasing his brother he knew that Albus could give it just as well as he could.

'Sage you need to stop glaring at Albus,' said Fred suddenly interrupting James' train of thought. 'It's not as though he is sitting snogging Alice in front of your very eyes. He's only talking to her and she is his friend, after all.'

Sage huffed a sigh.

'I know,' he said in an undertone. 'I just don't like anyone looking at my little sister like ... well ... like that.'

He indicated Albus who was now laughing with Alice. James grinned. His little brother was so unaware of the scrutiny he was currently under. He wondered how Al couldn't feel Sage's eyes glaring at him. If James had been in Al's position he was sure that he would felt the daggers that Sage was giving.

'Seriously Sage,' James told his friend nudging him, 'if looks could kill my poor brother would have been six feet under a week ago and you'd currently be re-killing him for the hundredth time.'

James laughed and then looked up at Olly who was sitting across the table from him looking desperately tired. She hadn't even touched her poached eggs and was currently leaning her chin on her hand her eyes closed. James stifled a laugh as her chin slipped from her hand and she jerked her eyes open disturbed. Olly looked really sweet when she was tired, James thought. He watched her yawn and then scrunched up her face like a munchkin. James had no idea what a munchkin was but Olly's mum constantly telling Olly that she looked like one when she was tired. James had just picked up the habit. The reason Olly was so tired was because she was far too kind for her own good. When they had been in the common room last night there had been a terrified third year trying to get their homework done for Professor Vaisey and Olly being Olly had decided to stay up and help the student. James had suggested that Olly should just do the homework herself since it would be quicker. Olly had said that the student wouldn't learn anything that way. Olly was obvious aware of scrutiny and she looked up at James.

'You okay, Olly?' James asked.

Olly nodded although it was more like she had lost control of her neck and had left her head jerking away like a nodding dog.

'You don't look it,' Sage put in now noticing that Olly was obviously tired. 'How much sleep did you actually get?'

Olly shrugged slightly.

'Not sure,' she told them pushing a hand through her hair sleepily. 'A few hours maybe. Not enough though. I want to go back to bed.'

'No can do,' said Fred with a grin. 'We have Transfiguration first thing and we all know how much you love that subject.'

Olly groaned.

'I do love Transfiguration,' she said scrunching up her nose as though to get rid of a sudden itch, 'but I feel so groggy. I'll probably not be able to concentrate properly at all today. I hope we don't do anything important in class today. I really want to attempt to the animagus transformation this year.'

'Don't be daft,' said James briskly shaking his head slowly at Olly. 'You are way ahead of the class. We won't be learning anything that you don't already know. Anyway Professor Frobisher will help you out if you need an extra hand. Professor McGonagall wouldn't have said you could probably attempt it this year if she thought that one day of sleepiness would cause you to do something wrong.'

'You'll be fine Olly,' encouraged Sage. 'At least you don't have Quidditch yet because the Gryffindor Captain would never stand for tiredness.'

That made Olly grin and James shoved Sage playfully. Sage, Olly and Fred were always teasing James about his obsession with Quidditch which caused him to be a very forceful Quidditch captain. It wasn't his fault, James reflected. He just wanted his team to play the best he could. He was glad he didn't have to go through the hassle of picking new members for the team this year. He had had so much stick last year when he had replaced chasers Natalie O'Brien and Paul Finnegan with his sister Lily and his cousin Roxanne especially since he, Fred, Al and Olly were already on the team. He had re-auditioned for every position. He had been surprised to see how good his cousin Rose had been as keeper and he was sure that she would make the team next year. Then of course he had had to redo all the auditions in front of Professor McGonagall since he was accused of bias.

'I'm never going to make it through the day,' said Olly with a yawn. 'I'll be fast asleep by the end of Transfiguration.'

'Have some coffee then,' said Fred pushing a cup of coffee towards Olly.

James smiled as Olly eyed it suspiciously and then looked up at Fred curiously. James knew that Fred hadn't put anything in it but Olly was perfectly right to be suspicious. It wouldn't be the first time that they had played pranks on each other and Fred was still trying to find a way to get Olly back for making him look like Roxanne.

'I haven't done anything to it,' Fred said holding his hands up as though in surrender. Olly glanced at Sage who nodded his head to indicate that Fred was indeed innocent.

'Thanks Fred,' said Olly picking up the coffee and took a sip. James smiled as she shuddered slightly. Olly didn't like the bitter taste of coffee and therefore she never normally drank it. Still she needed the caffeine boost to get her through the day. James was going to suggest a potion like the pepper-up potion but he knew that Olly would try not to use non-magical means to keep herself awake. She knew that the effects of pepper-up potion would leave her completely drained at the end of the day. James grinned again as Olly screwed up her face.

'What?' she asked him obviously catching sight of his grin.

'Nothing,' said James shrugging nonchalantly. 'You just make the funniest faces sometimes.'

Olly smiled slightly. It had been a bit of a joke between the four of them that you could read Olly like a book because of the faces she made. She was always very expressive unless her guard was up and then, like her mother, she didn't give away a thing. James found this rather irritating because if something was really wrong with Olly nobody could tell.

Just then the morning post flooded in and they all looked up to see if there was any mail for them. James spotted Icarus flying down towards him a letter tied to his leg. He landed on the table his tail feathers landing in Olly's coffee making her sigh. James noticed that Olly's owl Artemuis had not arrived which meant her mother still wasn't back from wherever she was. James retrieved his letter from around Icarus' leg and the owl took off again. The handwriting on the front of his letter was his mother's and he opened it immediately.

_Darling James,_

_How are you? Are you happy to be back a Hogwarts? I hope you aren't cooking up any pranks already. It would make me so proud if you could behave yourself this year. I know that doesn't mean very much to you and I also know that it is pretty much impossible so I suppose I had better stop asking. Your father has been at Uncle George's shop so no doubt you and Fred will be receiving..._

James' attention was then distracted from his letter by the arrival of a large unfamiliar owl that landed in front of Olly. James watched Olly's confused face as the owl dropped a square parcel in front of her before it flew off again.

'What is it Olly?' asked Fred looking up from his sausage and noticing the confusion on her face.

'Just wondering who is sending me present,' Olly replied frowning. 'If it was mum she would have sent Artemuis or Mercury but I've never seen this owl before. I hate being so slow. Who would be sending me presents? It's not my birthday.'

'Why don't you open it and see?' suggested Sage turning away from his own letter.

'That's probably the best idea,' James agreed with Sage.

Olly picked up the present and ripped off the paper to reveal a small black box. On the lid in silver writing was her name _Olivia Serena Black._ It was definitely for her then. There hadn't been a mistake. She snapped back the lid of the box to see a beautiful emerald and diamond ring sitting on the black velvet inside. She stared at it for a moment not sure what on earth was going on. James leaned across the table slightly trying to see what was in the box before he exchanged puzzled looks with both Sage and Fred. Olly spotted a letter folded up in the top of the box. Carefully, she extracted it and unfolded it.

'What is it, Olly?' asked James worried as he watched Olly's eyes widen in shock. Olly began to shake and James felt his heart pound in his chest. Was this a sorry letter? Was this a letter from the Minister of Magic apologising for the fact that Olly's mum had died on her mission abroad? No surely not, thought James, dad would have come to Hogwarts to tell her in person if that had happened.

'Olly?' questioned Sage as Fred leaned closer to Olly to try and look at the letter.

'It's from my father.'

James felt his jaw drop open as he exchanged mystified looks with Fred and Sage. Olly had never known her father and had only ever had her mother. Nobody could tell Olly who her father was. It was Kerr's greatest kept secret. It was their family's secret. No one knew anything. Kerr hadn't told any of them. She hadn't told Harry or Ron or Hermione or Ginny or Charlie or George or Neville. Olly's great aunts and uncles had no idea who he was. He was like a shadow. Olly had questioned her mother before but Kerr had refused to say anything. Olly had left it at that. She had accepted that her mother would never tell her who her father was and she didn't want to upset her mother.

'What does it say?' asked James who wanted to leap to his feet, climb over the table and give Olly a big hug. He couldn't bear to see her shaking like she was.

Olly shoved the letter across the table to James who picked it up. Sage leaned towards him to read the letter over his shoulder.

_My darling Olivia,_

_Well, you've reached your final year of Hogwarts. I am so proud of you although you will probably not believe me. I never wanted to leave you Olivia and I never wanted to leave your mother. What was done had to be done. There was no other way around it and I am so sorry that things worked out this way. Your mother is an incredibly strong woman having told you nothing of me for the past seventeen years but then she was strong enough to let me go. We are so sorry your mother and I for having to do this to you but we agreed that in your seventh year you should be allowed to discover the truth. The whole story will be told to you in good time. You still have a year until you graduate after all. I just want you to know that the secrecy was necessary to keep you all safe and when I say you all I do not merely mean your mother and yourself, I also mean your twin brother. Please do not be angry at us for we were both young and we were afraid of the consequences. We separated you and your brother. You stayed with your mother and your brother came with me. It tore us apart having to do so but it was the only way. I know you are very smart. You are your mother's daughter. I know you and your brother will be able to work it out. We will be sending you clues which you can choose to follow if you wish to find your brother, and also me, if you so wish even after all this time. Your mother has also written to your brother to inform him of this. He is with you at Hogwarts and it is our hope, your mother's and my own, that you will find each other. We only hope that you can both forgive us for what had to be done._

_Before I go, I just want you to know that I loved your mother and your mother loved me. I have never stopped loving her or you. One day, maybe when you know the whole story, you will understand why this had to happen, why you needed to be separated and why I needed to leave you. I have always regretted that it had to happen this way and I know that, ultimately, it was my fault. I cannot go back however; all I can do is tell you that that I am sorry. We both are._

_All my love,_

_Your father_

_X_

James looked up from the letter to Olly who was deathly white. Not that it was terribly disturbing as it was only a shade below her usual colour. What was a bit more disturbing was how much her hands were shaking. James shoved the letter over to Fred who quickly scanned through it his own jaw dropping own before he turned to look at Olly. James stretched out over the table and grabbed Olly's hand firmly. Olly looked up at him startled.

'Olly,' he said in a low voice, 'are you okay?'

Olly nodded slightly. Not sure whether to open her mouth. She felt sick. She had been pressing her mother for years to know about her father and yet she had never given away a single hint of anything. She had a brother. She had a twin brother. How could her mother have kept this from her? How could she not have only kept her from her father but also from her brother? Who was he? She looked around her fellow students from where she sat at the Gryffindor table. He was here somewhere having read a letter similar to the one that she had just read. What he as shocked as she was? Had he longed to know about his mother too? Or had her father got married and he had never thought that the woman was not his mother? How could they do this to her, to them?

'Olly?'

Olly looked back round at him and James bit his bottom lip slightly. Oh hell with it, he thought and got up from his seat. He stood up on the table hoping that the Professor's wouldn't catch him and walked across. He clambered down into the space beside Olly that Fred had just created for him and slid an arm around her shoulders holding her firmly to him.

'That bad, huh?' said Olly with a slight laugh as she allowed James to pull her towards him.

'You're allowed to be shocked Olly,' said Sage seriously leaning across the table. 'We all are. We never thought your mother would ever tell anyone about him and what's more you have a brother, a twin.'

Sage looked around at their fellow students that were scattered across four tables throughout the hall. James repressed a shuddered that went down his back. Somewhere in the castle was Olly's brother. They had walked the halls with him for seven years, eaten the same breakfasts, listened to the same lessons and done the same homework but never once had they seen a student in their year that looked like Olly or even reminded them of Olly. Who on earth could he be?

'Hold on though,' said Fred frowning. 'Surely he's got to look like you, Olly. He is your twin.'

'They're non-identical twins,' said Sage with an exasperated sigh that was normally reserved for Fred.

'And?' asked Fred. 'Roxy and I are non identical twins and we look alike.'

James glanced down the table at his cousin Roxanne. Alike was an understatement. Apart from being a girl Roxy looked exactly like Fred. She had the exact same shade of flaming red hair, with the same freckles, the same twinkly blue eyes and the same grin. She was shorter than Fred though but there was no way you could mistake Roxanne and Fred for being not twins even with all the other Weasley's around.

'Well Olly looks exactly like her mum,' James offered, 'maybe her brother looks like their dad.'

Fred frowned as though he was processing this information, processing it very slowly.

'I guess that makes sense,' he said eventually.

'I have my dad's eyes,' Olly said softly making James squeeze her again in comfort. 'Mum told me that they're my dad's eyes because both my mum and gran have green eyes and my granddad had grey-blue eyes.'

'Well according to your dad's letter,' said James looking down at Olly, 'you'll be getting clues to help you find your brother so we don't have to go on looks alone.'

Olly smiled slightly and then pulled away from James. James reluctantly let his arm fall away from her shoulders. He didn't like to see her upset. He knew he was terribly overprotective of Olly. Sage and Fred were the same. Well, he conceded to himself, maybe he was a bit worse than Sage or Fred but that was because ... that was because ... James didn't really know why that was. Something just made him protective of her.

'Can we keep this between us?' Olly asked them looking around at each of them but her deep blue eyes lingering on James.

'Of course,' he told her gently. 'It's no one else's business anyway.'

'Do you want to find him?' asked Sage leaning across the table to look at Olly seriously and James noted that he didn't make the distinction between whether she wanted to look for her father or for her brother.

Olly swallowed and then nodded.

'Of course that makes things a lot worse for you,' said Fred with a grin and the other three stared at him.

'How did you work that one out genius?' asked Sage.

'Well,' said Fred slightly huffily, 'last week Olly said she didn't need and father or a brother with us three and now she has both. Yay for glaring evilly at any male who eyes Olly up or might be thinking inappropriate thoughts!'

Sage, James and Olly all stared at Fred for a moment and then the four of them burst out laughing.

* * *

_Thanks for all the reviews. They make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and I just want to let you know that I have started a poll which is on my profile page so you can guess who Olly's father is and then vote. For all those familiar with my work/fanfiction you might have a rough idea but I might surprise you. Anyway I've left plenty of hugs to go around for you all and I'll leave more if you review. I promise._

_Kerr X_


	5. What? I Can't Be Smart

Her eyes flickered around the room slipping over every face and studying them carefully as though she had never seen them all before. Yet she knew everyone sitting there in her class. Hadn't she been with them for six years now? How could she not know her own brother? Yet she didn't. Somewhere among the students that she had lived with for the last six years was her brother, her twin brother. Surely there had to be some resemblance. Surely there had to something there that indicated that he was related to her. She pondered it over in her mind. She had always thought that it was strange that her godfather, Neville and Harry and Hermione and Ron, who were her mother's best friends, didn't know anything about her father. What had been so urgent that her mother had never told them about him? Why had all this secrecy been so important? How had her mother concealed the existence of her twin all these years?

She had written to her mother immediately after receiving the letter from her father. She had wanted to send a Howler but James, Fred and Sage had convinced her that it was probably a bad idea when she was still in shock and now she was glad that they had stopped her. Her mother must have been in a bad place when she had given birth to her and her brother. After all, Olly knew she wasn't born long after the war ended when Death Eaters were still a threat and having to be rounded up. The Wizarding world had still been in utter chaos when she had been born. Her father had mentioned something about keeping them all safe. What did they need to be kept safe from? Why couldn't he look after them? Why did it make it safer to split them up? There were so many questions that she had ask, so many questions that needed an answer. She had been pushing her mother for so long. She had been badgering her with questions about her father, wanting, wondering and wishing for him. Yet with this letter he had suddenly proved his existence and had brought into her focus someone else she had never known. She wasn't sure after all this time that their explanation would be good enough for her. She just didn't understand how they could do this?

Across the classroom James watched Olly intently from where he sat next to Fred. He was worried about her. She was looking around at everyone in the class staring as though trying to see them with fresh eyes. They were all the same people though, James thought as his own eyes slipped around their classmates. He just didn't see how they couldn't have noticed Olly's twin brother. Where could he be? When Olly had said this was going to be an interesting year she had been understating things just a little.

James glanced at his watch to see that their History of Magic class was going to be over a in a couple of minutes. Olly was lucky that Professor Binns never noticed that his students never paid attention to him. She had been staring into space the whole lesson not paying attention to anything that the Professor had been saying. History of Magic lessons had been more interesting this year, James had to admit. They had been learning about the run up to the Battle of Hogwarts. There were bits that James had found terribly interesting, things that his father had glossed over. Olly however had heard it all. Her mother didn't believe in glossing things over and had told her every little detail that she knew or remembered. James remembered listening to his Auntie Kerr tell the stories of the Battle of Hogwarts, about how his Uncle Fred had died and how Teddy's parents had died. She was the only one that would talk about it freely.

He glanced at his watch again and then the class began to move. Professor Binns didn't even seem to notice as his students began to pack away and leave the classroom. He looked over at Olly who hadn't moved from her seat and Sage was looking puzzled. James and Fred moved over to where the two of them where.

'Olly, snap out of it,' said Sage clicking his fingers in front of her face.

Olly snapped out of her trance to look at her best friend astonishment on her face. She shook herself and then got to her feet slinging her bag over her shoulder as she followed James, Fred and Sage from the classroom.

'Don't worry so much Olly,' said James draping his arm around her shoulders. 'We will have this little mystery solved in no times, right guys?'

'Right,' said Sage and Fred together with almost identical grins.

Olly smiled at her best friends. She really couldn't have gotten through all this without them. They were always there for her and they had always made her feel as though she was part of the family. Sometimes it was difficult being the only girl, like when she had hit puberty and she had been worried that they would look at her differently but they never did and for that she had been grateful.

She slid her arm around James' waist and squeezed making him give her a bright flash of a smile as they headed towards the Great Hall for dinner. Tonight was their first Quidditch practice since they had returned to Hogwarts. James had been rather excited all day, constantly bouncing up and down with a huge grin on his face. Olly had been laughing at him all day between bouts of staring at the students which was what she was currently doing. James could see her out his peripheral vision staring at every face that passed her by. They had been waiting a week now for Olly's mother to reply. They weren't even sure if she was back from her trip abroad yet but Artemuis would have found her wherever she was.

They reached the Great Hall that was already bursting with students and they headed straight over to the Gryffindor table. James saw several of his relative's eyes mainly Rose and Lily's fly up to where he was walking with his arm around Olly. He frowned at them to discourage them for thinking thoughts that were completely untrue. Lily, Rose, Roxanne, Lucy and even Al liked to stir stuff up about his love life. The only members of his family that weren't so nosy were Fred and Hugo. James removed his arm from around Olly as the two of them sat down at the Gryffindor table near Albus and Rose with Fred and Sage opposite them.

'So Quidditch practice after dinner,' said Sage with a slight edge in his voice. He hated being the only one who didn't play Quidditch. Due to the fact that he was normally on his own during Quidditch matches where Gryffindor were playing Sage had taken to offering to do the commentary and found he was rather good at it. It was the best way he could find to take part in Quidditch since he couldn't actually play.

'Yeah,' said James enthusiastically. 'We are so going to kick Slytherin's ass this year and we're going to slaughter Ravenclaw just to rub it in Brett Wells' face that he's a crap beater as well as a jerk.'

That made the other three laugh heartily and James grinned along with them.

'Black,' said a familiar voice and the four of them turned to see Paige Goldstein, a Gryffindor girl in their year, hovering behind Olly with a letter in her hand. 'Your owl dropped this off in our dorm earlier. I thought I should bring it down.'

'Oh thanks Goldstein,' Olly said with a smile as she took the letter off the girl and then turned back to Fred, James and Sage. On the front was her name in her mother's familiar handwriting. She ripped it open and another letter fell out but she ignored it for a moment preferring to concentrate on her mother's words.

_Dear Olly,_

_I know that you are probably very angry with me. Well, from the tone of your letter, I found it rather obvious that you are angry with me. I'm sorry. I know how much you questioned me over the years to learn about your father but trust me when I say that it was all to protect you. Your father and I only ever wanted the best for you and your brother. We never wanted you to be separated but things don't always work out the way you plan them. I loved your father so much and I loved you and your brother. It killed me to have to let him go but I did what needed to be done and I kept my secret for so many years. I have never let his name pass my lips for nearly seventeen years. I have never told anyone who your father is. The only people that know are your father and me. You can't imagine how much it hurt having Neville, Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron all congratulating me on your birth when I knew that I was missing my son. They pressed me to know who your father was and you have pressed me too but I couldn't tell you. I never wanted you to be hurt, Olly and after a time the lies became so repeated I could almost believe them._

_I'm going to send you the letters that your father sent to me one by one so that you can piece together what our lives were like and eventually find out who he is. I hope that you and your brother can forgive us for all of this secrecy. I know you are very angry with me right now but please, for my sake, do not make this public. I know you'll have told James, Sage and Fred but please don't let this go any further. It's been a secret for so long that I don't know if I can bear to make it known. I have not seen him for nearly seventeen years and I'd have no idea what to do if confront by him now. Please forgive me Olly. All I wanted was the best for you._

_All my love_

_Mum_

_xXx_

'What is it?' asked Sage his mouth full of sausage. Olly handed him the letter from her mother as she picked up the letter that had fallen on the table. The parchment was a good deal older than that of the parchment her mother's letter was written on. Olly turned it over and saw the red mark where once a seal had been. She unfolded the letter slowly and looked at the now familiar black scrawl that belonged to her father.

_27__th__ September 2002_

_For Kerr,_

_Well, it is certainly strange to be writing to you. I should never have thought that this would happen, especially not to me. Yet it seems like fate that we should have met again at that fundraiser. Listen to me talking about fate like some sentimental woman. Doesn't sound like me at all, does it? I know you're probably laughing already. You're always ready to laugh at me. I mean I know I'm hilarious but somehow I always make you laugh even when I don't intend to. Then again it's probably just my irresistible personality and charm that you can't say no to. Don't even try to deny it, that coy smile of yours fools no one especially not me. After all we've known each other for nearly four years now. Not that you noticed me when you first arrived at Hogwarts, too taken up with Potter and his friends. I noticed you though, but then I was always the people watcher. In fact I can almost hear you now. 'Strange child aren't you?' you would say. You know you were thinking it. _

_I know that when we first met I irritated you. You were just so easy to wind-up sometimes, so over-protective of Potter, Weasley and Granger. Still I couldn't help it. My sarcastic nature just took over sometimes. I love to tease you. I still find it strange to be writing to you. I know that we could get caught with these secret love messages but you started it and to be honest I quite like it. I was surprised to get your first letter. I know how much our relationship worries you. You are always worrying that I am going to get hurt. I am worry about you too but, like I said, I don't have the strength to stay away from you anymore. Just be careful. I'll see you on Friday, same place, same time._

_Yours Always_

_X_

Olly felt a smile spread on her face for a moment. There was just something about the letter, a poignant sweetness that was very obvious from its tone. This joking man was the man her mother loved. This man who was funny and slightly egotistical and protective was her father. It felt strange to hold something that was such a part of her mother's life, the fragile link between her mother and her father. She sighed and then pushed her father's letter towards Sage and Fred for them to read it too. James squeezed her knee in comfort and she jumped slightly like it was an electric shock.

'Sorry,' he told her with a small smile. 'Didn't mean to scare you.'

Olly grinned back at him.

'I know.'

'Well, I don't think he was a Gryffindor,' said Sage suddenly as he finished reading the letter.

'What makes you say that?' asked Fred looking up as he too finished reading a confused look on his face.

'Because he called Uncle Harry, Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione by their surnames,' Olly explained to Fred as she took the letters back from Sage carefully folding them back up.

'That doesn't mean he wasn't a Gryffindor,' added James. 'My dad said that Oliver Wood used to call him Potter so surely people that didn't really know him would use his surname. Goldstein is a great example. Olly shares a dorm with her but they still call each other by their surnames because they don't know each other that well.'

'I suppose you're right,' said Olly resting her elbow on the table and then putting her cheek on her hand. 'It's just the way he talks about them being so easy to wind up that makes me think that he's not a Gryffindor. After all, we know Uncle Neville and Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnegan and they all call your dad Harry.'

James frowned slightly. What Olly said was true.

'It doesn't look like you are getting anywhere, Olly,' said Sage sympathetically.

'Well we could try and match this fundraiser with the date on his letter,' Fred chipped in. 'I'm sure the _prophet_ would have reported on it especially if your parents went James, they'd only got married a couple of months before.'

Olly, Sage and James stared at Fred and he looked hurt.

'What? I can't be smart!'

'Well you can,' said Sage. 'It's just you seem to be doing it a lot more this year ...'

'And not just for pranks either,' Olly continued a smirk starting to spread across her face.

'Yeah it's definitely starting to creep us out,' said James with a laugh as he got to his feet. 'Now let's get to the Quidditch pitch because I'm about to put your noses to the grindstone.'

Fred huffed.

'Aren't you glad you're not on the team now Sage?' he asked as they all followed James out of the Great Hall.

'Yeah,' said Sage. 'When James' decides to go all slave driver he really works you hard.'

'Too true,' piped up James from the front. 'We need to be the best.'

Olly laughed a little but didn't bother explaining herself as they made their way down to the Quidditch pitch and disappeared into the changing rooms to get into their Quidditch robes whilst Sage wandered over to sit in the stands. By the time Fred, James and Olly were out of the pitch the rest of the team had turned up with their broomsticks and were getting ready.

'I tell you,' said Olly getting her wand out as they waited in the middle of the pitch, 'there is no better spell than the Summoning Charm. _Accio broom!_'

Fred and James grinned at her before following her example and before long all three of their brooms were hovering beside them, quivering in anticipation of the first practice of the season just as their owners were. Soon the rest of the team tripped out onto the pitch clutching their broomsticks looking eager to begin.

'All right team,' said James asked he looked around at his team members. 'You know somewhere over the summer I forgot how many members of this team are actually related to me. Please you your hands up if you are not related to me.'

Nathaniel Wood was the only one who put his hand in the air and everyone turned to look at Olly who was looking rather innocent.

'What?' she said. 'I am related to you, kind of.'

'How?' asked Lily curiously.

'Well,' said Olly launching into an explanation, 'Teddy is my third cousin and he's married to your cousin Victoire.'

'That doesn't count, Ol,' said Roxanne rolling her eyes.

'Well even before that,' said Olly defensively, 'your granddad Weasley's dad was married to my granddad's third cousin.'

'Still doesn't count, Olly,' said Al with a grin.

'Fine,' she said sticking out her tongue and she stuck her hand up in the air, 'even though technically my granddad's great aunt was also married to a Potter.'

'Do you like study your family tree or something?' asked Wood looking at her disbelievingly.

'Well it's interesting,' Olly said defensively.

James cleared his throat.

'Anyway,' he said firmly glaring at Olly, 'can we get back to Quidditch?'

'Of course James,' she responded sweetly making him glare at her even more before he turned back to the rest of the team.

'Right, this year we have to be the best and I don't just mean the way that we're normally the best, I mean the greatest. We have to crush every other team. We have to fly like we've never flown before and we need to work together because we are the best team at this school. We need to win the cup.'

'Calm down James,' said Fred with a grin nudging his best friend and Quidditch captain who was glaring ferociously at his team. 'You'll burst a blood vessel in a moment.'

'All right team,' he said. 'Get in the air. I want to see the best practice we've ever practiced.'

The team jumped on their broomsticks and rushed off into the air as James let out the balls and then threw the Quaffle hard into the air. He got on his broom and followed his team into the air. He loved the wind in his hair and it was such a thrill to be back on his broom for the first time in his last year at Hogwarts. He drew up level with Fred and looked around at his team watching him expectantly

'Right let's get going,' he said and everyone sped into position except Albus who hovered next to him.

'So what's going on between you and Olly?' Al asked in a low voice.

James frowned.

'What do you mean?' he asked Al confused.

'Well, you know,' he said, 'you and her have been a lot more touchy-feely recently. I think you like her.'

'Of course I like her,' retorted James. 'She's my best friend.'

'No,' said Albus slowly as though James was stupid, 'you like her as more than a friend.'

'I do not,' James replied hotly his eyes darting down the pitch to where Olly was taking the Quaffle off Roxanne but then quickly going back to Albus.

'I think you do,' he chanted slightly.

'Hey guys,' said Olly's voice as she sped towards them on her new Silverwave broom, 'are you going to start playing or not?'


	6. Okay Icky Old People Sex

The library was mostly empty. The sun streamed in through the window panes and outside it was a cold crisp winter morning. Most of the students of Hogwarts were outside enjoying the snowfall that had come in the night and even from the library there could be heard the sound of screaming laughter as snowball fights ensued. Four seventh year students, usually the first ones to be out in the snow, were group round a table in the middle of the library. On the table in front of them was a large spread of the _Daily Prophet_ published around August 2002. Beside it on the table was the letter from Olly's mystery father to Olly's mother, Kerr. Olly, Fred, James and Sage were all scanning the newspaper carefully trying not to miss anything. There were two piles of newspapers on the far side of the table from them. The large pile was of newspapers that they still needed to look at and the small pile was the ones they had already been through. It was like this that they were discovered by Albus and Rose who had gone to the library to find a book that Rose was after. They were both rather surprised to see the four trouble makers holed up in the library, especially since it was the weekend. As far as Albus was concerned he didn't think that James or Fred even knew where the library was. He glanced at Rose who shrugged.

'It's their final year,' she said in a low voice so the four wouldn't hear, 'maybe they're finally taking things seriously.'

Albus raised his eyebrow into an expression of disbelief.

'Yeah right,' he told Rose in a whisper. 'Sage maybe but when have you ever seen the other three in here?'

Rose frowned as she thought. If she was honest with herself she had never seen James, Fred or Olly in the library in the whole of her six years at Hogwarts. She had often wondered how James and Olly managed to get such good grades when they never seemed to study anything except how to pull off a prank and not get caught. Even Fred did reasonably well.

'Maybe they're trying to come up with a new prank,' said Rose thinking that this sounded like the most plausible alternative to why they were in the library on the weekend if they weren't studying.

'There is bloody nothing,' exclaimed Olly suddenly startling Rose and Albus as she hurled the newspaper to the bottom of the table where they were standing. Al glanced at Rose slightly apprehensive. Olly was famous for her temper or rather she was famous for her reactions when angry. Al supposed that when it came down to it Rose and Lily were the ones with the flaming tempers. Olly didn't tend to beat about the bush with shouting. She just immediately ended it.

'Oh hello you two,' said Fred brightly looking a little too innocent to Rose's sceptical eyes.

'What are you four up to?' she asked them eyeing the newspapers on the table in front of her with curious eyes.

'Research,' responded Sage gloomily.

The four of them had been there for some time now and there still hadn't been a whiff of the Fundraiser. There was still a large amount of newspapers to go through. Rose began flicking through the large pile of newspapers a confused look upon her face. She didn't understand why they would be going through newspapers that were published after the war. Surely all of the interesting things would be in the newspapers published during the war.

'Why are you looking at these?' she asked her curiosity getting the better of her.

'Failing to find anything out,' said Olly pulling a hand through her hair which automatically fell back into her eyes once she had finished. She couldn't believe that they still had so many papers to go through. After all who knew how long it had been since the fundraiser that her father had sent that letter. Why couldn't they just tell her out right? This was just plain irritating.

'Aw cheer up Olly,' said James nudging her in the arm. 'I'm sure that we'll find it. After all, your mum wouldn't have sent you that if she thought it was going to be useless.'

Albus looked completely baffled.

'What on earth is going on?' he asked looking between James and Olly who both turned to him with looks of utmost innocent.

'We have no idea what you mean,' interjected Fred still a little too brightly.

'Something is going on here,' said Al. 'You lot are never in the library on a weekend. Rose and I have never seen you in the library before, except Sage of course, but he always just picks up a book a leaves. So what –'

'Hey look!' exclaimed Rose suddenly pulling out a newspaper from the pile. 'It's our parents.'

'Where?'

Olly, James, Sage and Fred were immediately on their feet and hurrying down to the opposite end of the table to stand next to Rose who was holding a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ from August 2002. On the front was a fabulous picture of Harry in full dress robes with Ginny on his arm looking stunning in a gold dress. Ron, also in full dress robes, and Hermione, in a gorgeous blue dress, were also there having just got engaged. In between the two couples, looking stunning in a green dress was Kerr. The five of them were all beaming broadly and looking ridiculously young. The headline above read "Heroes Raise Money For Zeroes". Olly quickly scanned the page looking for a list of other attendants at the Fundraiser.

'Your mother always was the loner,' murmured Sage quietly as his own eyes scanned the story. 'It seems that this wasn't the first event she had turned up to on her own. Listen to this "Miss Black declined to comment on her lack of date giving onlookers to believe that she has had a falling out with partner Neville Longbottom". What a load of bollocks!'

Olly smiled.

'Well Olly's mum and your dad used to go to loads of things together,' said Fred. 'Dad even had a betting pool going on when they were going to announce their engagement. A lot of people lost their money when your parents starting dating, Sage.'

'Serves them right for speculating,' said Rose firmly and the other five all glanced at her suspiciously.

'Hey,' said James looking back at the paper, 'look here's a picture of your mum dancing with Viktor Krum.'

Sure enough at the bottom of the page was a picture of Kerr being twirled around the dance floor by Viktor Krum who managed to look like he was enjoying himself. Olly frowned a little as she looked at the picture and then took the newspaper off Rose to read the rest of the story. It seemed that the Fundraiser had been to help raise money for Azkaban and get rid of the dementors. Hermione had had a big hand in the transition.

'It doesn't seem like she spent any more time with him apart from that first dance,' said Sage in a murmur. 'She danced with a lot of people.'

Rose and Albus looked at the four of them with worried expressions. What in the name of Merlin was going on?

'There's the list,' said Fred suddenly pointing to the last paragraph.

James grabbed a piece of parchment and quill from the table.

'Right,' said Olly in a business-like tone. 'Bill and Fleur Weasley, George and Angelina Weasley, Percy and Audrey Weasley, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Seamus Finnegan with Susan Bones, Michael Corner and Cho Chang, Findlay and Asta Stewart, Oliver and Katie Wood, Jason Abbott with Sasha Starrs, Eric Greengrass and Tara Longhaven, Blaise and Daphne Zabini, Draco Malfoy with Astoria Greengrass, Rolf and Luna Scamander, a whole bunch of my mum's cousins, ...'

The list continued on like this for some time and James could feel his wrist beginning to ache. Eventually the list ended and Olly looked up at Sage.

'I wondered why neither of your parents were there,' she said to him.

'Oh that was the night of their first date,' said Sage rolling his eyes. 'My mum always recounts it fondly to the punters. She says it was because she was so surprised that dad had asked her out. Everyone thought that my dad was going to marry your mum.'

Olly rolled her eyes.

'What is this all about?' asked Albus all of a sudden his curiosity getting the better of him. 'Why are you four so interested in a Fundraiser that our parents went to years ago?'

Olly, Sage, Fred and James all looked at him and then at each other as though trying to work out whether to tell them the truth or not.

'For a project,' said Olly taking on Fred's mantle of being bright. 'We're doing a project in History of Magic about the aftermath of the war. Since this was a Fundraiser organised by Rose's mum in order to sort out Azkaban we thought it would be a good place to start researching.'

James, Fred and Sage all stared at Olly as though she had grown an extra head. Albus and Rose reacted much the same way. Olly just looked around at them smiling as though there was nothing out of the ordinary.

'Since when do you four come to the library on a weekend to study for a class project?' asked Rose suspiciously.

They were saved from answering by tapping on the window. Olly's owl, Artemuis, was sitting on the sill tapping his beak against the glass. Olly immediately went over and opened the window to let the owl in. Artemuis soared in and dropped a letter on the table before flying out of the window again. Olly shut the window as her five companions stared at the letter that was lying on the table. Olly took a deep breath as she moved to the table and looked at her three friends for support. They immediately went to her side and she picked the letter up off the table. She cracked open the seal and removed the second letter that was inside.

_Dear Olly,_

_I know that you think I should just tell you about your father but I don't know if you would believe me if I did. I'm sorry that I've made this so hard on you but your father and I felt that if you were given the opportunity to find him then you could make the decision on your own about whether you want a relationship with him. I know that might not make any sense but just try and trust me. I know that might be the hardest thing for you to do right now but I just did what was best for you and for your brother. Please don't hate me baby._

_I love you._

_Kerr _

_X_

'Do any of you feel like my father is someone of ...' Olly paused, searching for the words, Rose and Albus now completely forgotten about, 'unsavoury character?'

James and Fred sniggered at the term she used. Albus and Rose gawped at Olly, unnoticed by the other four. Olly's father?

'You mean like a Slytherin?' asked Sage.

Olly nodded.

'It's just because she keep going on and on about how they had to keep it a secret and how it might be hard on me to understand why they had to do it. In this letter she suggests that I might not want a relationship with him. Now why would she say that unless … unless …'

Olly stopped. Albus and Rose watched the four of them with keen interest. Olly's father was the biggest mystery of their family and they couldn't help but wonder who he was? Their parents didn't know and Kerr had never let on about him ever. Now it seemed that Kerr was finally talking to Olly about her father and that Olly was going to finally be able to meet him.

'It could be Malfoy,' suggested Fred.

'As in Draco Malfoy?' asked Albus who was firm friends with Draco's son Scorpius.

'Surely not,' said James wrapping his arm round Olly comfortingly and ignoring the smug grin on Al's face as he did it. 'I mean our parents hated Draco Malfoy and he hated them. There is no way that Auntie Kerr was you know with Draco Malfoy considering how horrible he was to Uncle Neville.'

'Anyway,' said Sage with a smile, 'it can't be Malfoy.'

'Why not?' asked Fred puzzled.

'Well Scorpius is in the same year as Albus and Rose.'

Olly smiled at Sage.

'What has that got to do with it?' asked Albus one eyebrow raised and complete confusion written all over his face.

'I have a twin brother,' Olly told him briefly. 'He's here at Hogwarts and I have to find him. We just don't know who he is.'

Olly suddenly seemed to realise that she was huddled under James' arm. She blushed slightly and then removed herself from his arms. James, however, didn't seem bothered in the slightest and nobody else seemed to have noticed.

'Not only is Scorpius too young,' said James, 'but isn't your mother actually related to Malfoy?'

'Yeah,' said Albus. 'Aren't you and Scorp third cousins or something like that?'

'Yuck,' said Rose screwing up her face in disgust. 'Who would want to be related to that?'

The other five rolled their eyes.

'You just can't help yourself, can you?' said Fred with a smirk on his face.

'It doesn't stop most pureblood families,' Olly said cutting across any remark that Rose might have been about to make. 'My Great-Grandmother Wallburga was a Black before she married my Great-Grandfather Orion Black. They were like second cousins or something and they wondered why my Granddad was crazy.'

There was silence for a moment.

'Are you going to read your dad's letter?' asked James gently.

Olly opened it.

_For Kerr_

_I know I am crazy. Why am I sitting here writing this to you? I have no idea but something makes me want to sit and write to you. I keep thinking about you and about last night. Merlin, I'll never forget last night and the paleness of your skin in my hands. I can't believe I have to wait for another week before I can have you again. I have been told off more than once today for not paying attention when someone was trying to talk to me. I don't want to listen to them. I want to be with you in the silence and darkness and to hold you close to me. You have changed me so much since I met you. You can't understand how hard it is not being able to have you every minute of every day. I lay in bed staring at the ceiling and all I can think is that I want you to be there beside me. I can't have everything. I can almost hear you thinking it. I know that you're right but that doesn't mean I can't wish for it. I want you and I've never been denied anything I want. You didn't even deny me you completely. I've still got you, kind of. Who would have thought it? Who would have thought that I would finally have you? You never went near any of the other Hogwarts boys that I knew of. You were unobtainable. The object of desire and you used it to your advantage. The mystery woman. I have you now though and you can't say that I don't. I know that there is no way you can leave me now. I feel it too._

_All my love_

_X_

'Okay, icky, old people sex,' said Fred screwing up his face.

'Well, I think we can rule out my mother having an affair with either Harry or Ron,' said Olly. James, Albus and Rose all stared at her/

'That was an option,' yelled James.

'Of course it was,' she said. 'I thought dad's last letter was maybe trying to throw people of the scent if the letter was intercepted. However with this letter saying "I've never been denied anything I want" means it definitely wasn't Harry or Ron or any of the Weasley's for that matter. So your dad is off the hook, Fred.'

Fred shrugged.

'Oh well,' he said. 'It'd have been cool to have you as a sister, Ol, but I think we must all agree that there is no way that I am not Roxy's twin.'

'It isn't your dad either,' Olly said to Sage.

'Well we knew that.'

'There's an idea,' said James suddenly as inspiration struck him. 'Your mum and Uncle Neville were pretty close and we have Neville her. Why don't we ask him about your father the next time we're in Herebology?'

'Jamesie, you're a genius,' said Fred high-fiving him.

'That's a brilliant idea,' said Olly warmly making James tinge pink slightly. He hoped no one had noticed.

'Right shall we put these bloody papers back then?' asked Sage.

'Yeah,' said Olly, 'come on.'

As Sage, Olly, Fred and Albus picked up piles on then newspapers and headed off to the back of the library Rose accosted James.

'So you and Olly,' she said as a prompt.

'Me and Olly what?' asked James.

'When are you going to ask her out?'

James stared at his cousin as though she had gone mad. Why did everyone think that he liked Olly in some way other than friendship? Of course she was good looking and he loved her to pieces but they had been best friends since they were born. It would be more than weird if he had fallen for her.

'I'm not,' he said stoutly. 'She's my best friend not my love interest.'

'You can't deny it James,' argued Rose. 'It's written right across your face. You're in love with her.'

'I am not.'

'You are,' Rose replied smugly. 'You are so in love with her. It'll be just like with my parents. One day you'll realise it and you'll throw away whatever you are holding at the time and start kissing her, not caring who is around at the time.'

James could feel his ears going red. Damn Weasley trait.

'Then you'll leave Hogwarts, get married and have lots of babies,' Rose finished with a giggle.

'What,' countered James, 'like you and Scorpius?'

* * *

_Sorry for the delay. I've been working like a crazy person this week and I haven't had time to write. I hope you enjoy the new chapter._

_Kerr X._


	7. Are You Completely Crazy?

James watched Olly from where he sat between Sage and Fred ignoring the Venomous Tentacula's vines that were slowly creeping to where his wrist was resting on the table. Since him, Fred and Sage were normally all paired together for Herebology Olly always sat with Alexander Flint and Eric Nott with whom she seemed to get on quite well with. James smiled as Olly threw back her head and roared with laughter at something Flint said clutching Nott on the shoulder as she tried not to fall off her chair. James didn't get how Olly got on with Slytherins. He supposed Flint and Nott were all right unless they were playing Quidditch against them. Flint was a beater and Nott was a chaser. James didn't have a lot of interaction with either of them off the Quidditch pitch but they were quite friendly with Olly and often accosted her in the corridors to talk to her. James had often over heard Flint's hilarious stories about what was going on in the Slytherin common room or about what his older brother Marcus was getting up to now he had left school. Nott was somewhat quieter but he too often made Olly laugh and James knew that Olly enjoyed spending time with them. James remembered how surprised his Aunt Kerr had been when Olly had told her she was friends with Flint and Nott. Kerr had been even more surprised to find out that Alexander Flint was the son of Marcus Flint and Pansy Parkinson. She obviously didn't think that was such a great combination. Olly didn't mind though. She wasn't particularly prejudiced. She liked those she liked and disliked those she didn't like. She didn't care about the boundaries of different houses. James had to admit that Nott and Flint were a lot nicer than Zimmion Smith and Brett Wells.

James didn't like to admit to the slightly jealous feelings he had watching Olly laugh with Flint and Nott. After all, it wasn't like either of the boys was ugly. Flint was tall, well-built with black wayward hair and brown eyes. Nott was shorter than Flint with a slim figure, spiky brown hair and deep blue eyes. Olly could do a lot worse. James always found it strange that Olly had never bothered with having a boyfriend. He thought it was because she spent so much time with them that she never really took the time to speak to other boys. James' little sister Lily always seemed to have a new boyfriend and even Rose, who never seemed to take her nose out of a book, had had a few boyfriends throughout her years at Hogwarts. Sure Olly had dated Sebastian Pearson last year, James had thought he was a jerk, but other than that Olly had never really been in a relationship. It wasn't like she didn't have a lot of offers. He was glad that she didn't bother about boyfriends because it would mean she wouldn't spend as much time with them. James didn't want to lose her to some idiot who couldn't treat her properly.

'James, pay attention,' said Sage suddenly as he snatched James' wrist out of the way of the roaming Tentacula vines. 'That would have bloody hurt if it had got you. Why are you staring at Olly like that anyway?'

James felt a blush rise and quickly ducked his head so Sage would not notice. He didn't know why he had been paying Olly so much attention recently. It wasn't as though anything had changed between them. At least, nothing that James was aware of. It was probably due to the fact that several members of his family seemed to think that he was in love with Olly which of course was ridiculous. How could he be in love with Olly? James liked blondes after all. Every single one of his ex-girlfriends had blonde hair. He didn't go for girls with dark hair like Olly. She was also one of his best friends. They had been since they were babies. They had shared baths together and ran around their parents back gardens with no clothes on. James was acutely glad that he had found and burnt all the photos that his parents had from those days and sincerely hoped that Olly had done the same.

'I'm not staring at her,' James mumbled to Sage hoping that Fred wouldn't hear. Fred wasn't best known for his ability to be quiet and James didn't really want Olly to hear that they were having a conversation about his suspect feelings for her.

'You are too,' said Sage in a low voice. 'You've been doing it since the beginning of summer as well. It's like you can't take your eyes off her or something. Remember when she asked you if she had something in her teeth because you were staring at her over the dinner table?'

James nodded his embarrassment level rising rapidly. He didn't realise that anyone had even noticed that he had spent a lot of time looking at Olly recently. He hadn't even really noticed that he had been doing. He glanced up at her as she playfully whacked Flint on the arm and then turned to bestow her beaming smile on Nott who ruffled her hair affectionately. She hadn't changed. She was still the same old Olly but James couldn't understand what was drawing him to her so much recently. Had he changed? Was something inside of him different now?

'If you really like her,' said Sage, 'and I mean like her as more than your best friend then you should tell her.'

'Don't be daft,' said James rolling his eyes. 'This is me and Olly we are talking about. I couldn't tell her I have feelings for her even if I did, which I don't.'

Sage sighed and shook his head.

'James, it's very obvious,' he told him. 'Stop fighting it and you'll feel a lot better but if you don't want anyone to know then you have to be more inconspicuous and stop staring at her. I should know after all, nobody has ever guessed my ...'

Sage stopped abruptly looking at James in horror as he realised his mistake of letting his mouth run away with him. James looked delighted as a mischievous smile spread across his face. Sage huffed a little knowing that there was no way that James was going to let it go now.

'Who?' James asked him.

Sage cast a furtive look around the classroom.

'I'll tell you later,' he said in an almost whisper.

'Tell him what later?' asked Fred who suddenly seemed to realise that he hadn't been paying attention to their conversation and had been staring dreamily into space.

'About what a Venomous Tentacula will do to your hand if you let it bite you,' invented Sage quickly which made James a little suspicious. Why would Sage want to tell him about some girl he liked and not Fred? That was a little odd to say the least. Still maybe Sage didn't want to say something to them both right now because of Fred's inability to keep quiet when surprised. Fred seemed satisfied with Sage's answer though. It was something that Sage would say. James would just have to ask Sage about it later.

'Do you think the White boys would kill me if I asked out Ava?' asked Fred suddenly not looking at James or Sage but seemed to stare into space with the dreamy expression now back on his face. James and Sage stared at him. The White boys were well known throughout Hogwarts although not all of them carried the surname White, just like James and Albus were considered part of the Weasley boys even though their last name was Potter. They were Olly's cousins from her gran's side. Olly's gran, Serena White, had been one of seven and Olly's mum had eleven cousins. Olly had twenty-three third cousins or something like that, thirteen male and ten female. They were all in Ravenclaw. There was Dylan Love who was in their year, Joshua and Joseph White in sixth year, Benjamin White in fourth year, Ryan Rutledge in third year and finally Richard White in first year. Along with the boys they had sixth year Ava Love, fifth year Ruby Dunnington, second year Sophie Love and first year Abigail Bainbridge. There were still another thirteen of them to go to Hogwarts. Olly was the oldest and her youngest cousin, Russell Molloy, had been born six months ago. All of them were members of the extensive White family and therefore collectively known as the Whites even with all the different surnames.

'Ava Love?' asked James incredulous as he stared at Fred. 'Are you completely crazy?'

'Yeah Fred,' added Sage. 'That's a lot of male members of the family to contend with. Not only have you got her brother you've also got her father, her grandfather, three male cousins and all the rest of the male population of the White family and that family is close-knit. It's even worse than yours. Can you imagine what Christmas dinner is like at White Hall?'

White Hall was the White family mansion, a huge country house that James, Sage and Fred had only ever been to once and that had been to get Olly on Boxing Day. Kerr always took Olly to White Hall for Christmas. Olly had often said that she would love to spend Christmas at the Burrow because it would be more peaceful. James and Fred had laughed at that until Olly had told them that every other year there were around forty people there for dinner. That seriously diminished the twenty-six people that were usually at the Burrow for a usual family Christmas dinner.

'Have you even ever talked to Ava Love?' asked James as Fred looked a little intimidated at the thought of Christmas at White Hall.

'Of course I have,' said Fred looking at James as though he was stupid. 'I'm not that much of an idiot to start liking a girl I have never even spoken too.'

James and Sage exchanged glances. James shrugged.

'Well why don't you speak to Olly about it then?' suggested Sage. 'She'll be able to tell you how her cousins would react.'

'Good idea, mate,' Fred responded enthusiastically. 'Olly will point me in the right direction hopefully.'

'How do you know Ava, Fred?' asked James curiously.

'Oh, she helped me out last year with my Potions homework last year,' said Fred with a grin. 'I couldn't find any of you and had decided that I would go to the library. Luckily, I bumped into Ava in the corridor, literally and she helped me out.'

'You never told us that,' said Sage.

Fred shrugged.

'Right, that is the end of the lesson,' said Neville saving Fred from answering. 'Remember that your essays on the Venomous Tentacula are due at the end of the week.'

The greenhouse became a hub of noise as the students packed up and began to file out of the door. James glanced over to where Olly was saying goodbye to Flint and Nott before she slipped her book back in her bag. Olly then moved over to where James was standing with Sage and Fred a wide grin on her face.

'Have fun?' asked James lightly.

'Yeah,' she told him her eyes sparkling. 'I love Alex. He's hilarious.'

James ignored the tightening in his chest as the four of them approached Neville who smiled at them all rather proudly as he tidied up his desk. Olly remembered her Uncle Harry telling her what Neville had been like in his first few years at Hogwarts. You could never guess that now from the way he taught his lessons.

'Hello you four,' said Neville brightly looking up at them. 'What can I do for you? You aren't in trouble again are you?'

Olly glanced nervously at James who gave her an encouraging nod.

'No we're not in trouble Uncle Neville,' she told him with her sweetest smile. 'I was just wondering if you could possibly tell me about my father.'

The four of them all seemed to hold their breath as Neville paled slightly and stared at Olly as though he didn't understand the question.

'I don't know anything about it,' he said suddenly and began tidying up his desk all the quicker.

'Oh come on Uncle Neville,' pleaded Olly. 'I know that you must know something. Surely you noticed something different about my mother. Surely she let something slip to you, you're her best friend. You must know something about my father. I just really need to find him and find my brother.'

Neville sat down suddenly.

'Oh she told you about that, did she?'

'You knew!' exclaimed the four of them staring at Neville in shock.

Neville nodded thoughtfully.

'Kerr's greatest secret,' he said softly with fondness in his eyes. 'I was the only one who knew for a very long time. She wasn't going to tell me but I knew something was wrong. After you were born Olly your mother just seemed so different. She was so miserable. She had never been liked that before. I knew something was wrong and I asked her about it. I asked her again and again just like Harry did, just like Ron and Hermione and Ginny all did. Charlie even flew over from Romania to try and cheer her up. Nothing seemed to work but none of them witnessed her meltdown.'

'Meltdown?' whispered Olly white to the lips.

'You must have been just six months old,' he continued sadly. 'I went round to your mother's with Sage. We were supposed to be going to your house James. I knocked on the door but there was no answer. The door was open and I went in just like I usually did. I found your mother crying hysterically at the bottom of the stairs. She was curled up into a ball and I immediately went to put Sage in the play pen with you. She was still crying when I came back and she hadn't moved from her position on the floor. It took a while to calm her down and I asked her what was wrong. I think that she just needed to tell someone. So she told me about your brother and how she had to give him up. She didn't reveal his name though. I don't even know if she knows what it is.'

Olly, James, Sage and Fred were practically leaning forward in anticipation of what Neville was saying.

So you know who my dad is then?' asked Olly breathlessly.

'Actually I don't,' Neville told her with a sigh shaking his head. 'That was one bit of information that your mother never told me. She told me that we had been to Hogwarts with him. He was in our year. She never mentioned his name however. She had the same look on her face every time we asked her about him longing mixed with fear. That's why after the first time she has never taken you to Platform 9 and ¾'s. I don't think she can bear to see him. I never asked her again about it. If Kerr wanted to tell me something then she could but I never pressured her into telling me anything more.'

'Do you know anything else about Olly's dad then?' asked Sage.

'I don't know much more,' Neville said truthfully. 'When your mother keeps a secret, Olly, she keeps a secret. I should have been expecting this to be honest. I knew that your mother planned to give you clues to find your brother. She hadn't said that she was going to do it this year. Still, I don't know much about your father. They used to meet as much as possible. I remember that she always seemed busy on the weekends. She always had been though. She used to work non-stop. I remember how concerned we were about her when she actually started taking time off work. She told us that she had realised that she worked too hard. I know now that it was your father, Olly. I would occasionally go round to her house and she wouldn't let me in. She would seem really jumpy. Then there were the times that she just disappeared. She left for two weeks once and nobody knew where she was. We were all starting to get really worried when she eventually turned back up. Apparently she had been on holiday. Now I think that she was probably on holiday with him, at the time though we never even noticed. It took her until she was five months pregnant for her to tell us of her situation and we were all so shocked.'

He smiled at the four of them.

'After all, we didn't even know that there was a man in her life. She told Harry and Ron that it had been a one night affair and that she wasn't going to tell them who it was. She told me later however how long it had been going on. I think that he must have worked in a similar occupation to your mother's. I remember seeing her one week with scratches, bruises and burns and when I asked she said she'd run into to Death Eaters. It makes me wonder whether they were after him or her, possibly both but she was never scared your mother. No matter what was coming at her, she always stood her ground.'

Olly exchanged glances with James, Sage and Fred and then looked back at Neville. Olly felt a little light headed if she was completely honest with herself. This was a little bit too much. Her brain couldn't even process all of the information she was receiving. How was she supposed to find her father when her mother's closest friends didn't even have an inkling who he was?

'Thanks Uncle Neville,' said Olly with a sigh as she threw her bag up onto her shoulder. 'We'll see you later.'

'Yeah bye Neville,' said James with a grin.

'Bye dad.'

'Bye Nev,' said Fred with a cheeky grin as he strolled after the other three.

'Oh Fred,' Neville called after him, 'it's Professor Longbottom not Nev.'

Fred grinned and then skipped after James, Olly and Sage who were already making their way up the grassy slope back to the castle. They were all quiet for several minutes, each of them lost in their own thoughts about what Neville had just told them about Kerr. It was strange how different things seemed to be when you got older. Things that you thought happened a certain way never really happened that way. Olly felt as though she was getting to know her mother all over again.

'Well I suppose now we need to find out who was all in our parent's year at Hogwarts?' said James thoughtfully his forehead creased with thought, 'excluding my dad, all my uncles and your dad, Sage. In Gryffindor I think that leaves Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan …'

'I don't think it's a Gryffindor,' said Sage firmly.

'I agree,' said Olly as they passed up the archway into the castle. 'I definitely think it was someone from another house.'

'Well who does that leave then?' asked Fred.

Sage shrugged.

'Looks like it's back to the library,' said James with a sigh.

Fred groaned and Sage looked at him with a smile. James caught sight of the smile and the mischief that was sparkling in his eyes and frowned wondering what Sage was thinking all of a sudden.

'Fred don't you have something to ask Olly about?' Sage asked innocently.

'I do?' questioned Fred looking round at Sage as Olly seemed to be pulled from her thoughts momentarily.

'What is it?' Olly asked.

'I don't remember,' said Fred looking puzzled.

'Well,' began James suddenly remembering himself what Fred was supposed to ask Olly about. 'Fred was wondering what your cousins would do to him if he asked out Ava?'

Olly laughed as they ascended the steps to the castle door.

'Ava Love?' she asked Fred.

Fred flushed a Weasley red. He had been fine discussing Ava with James and Sage but Olly actually knew Ava. She could go and speak to her about it.

'Well,' he said shyly, 'I like her.'

Olly smiled at Fred as they went into the entrance hall.

'I'm sure the boys would be fine with it,' she told him. 'They might give you a few well meant threats and Dylan is fiercely protective of Ava but you should be okay. You're best friends with me and I can vouch for you if need be. I can't believe you like Ava although it's not hard to see why. She's gorgeous.'

'Yeah she is,' said Fred with a stupid smile on his face. 'She's smart too and funny.'

Olly laughed. Sage glanced at James who rolled his eyes. Fred's last relationship, if you could call it that, had been a disaster. He had been dating a Gryffindor girl called Samara Levictis last year and she had been no end of clingy. Fred hadn't handled it very well though. He had kept telling them that he wanted to split up with her but never seemed to do it. Eventually she dumped him because he went to Quidditch practice rather than meet her but not before she had caused all sorts of problems for the other three.

'At least, Ava is nicer than Samara,' said Sage with a laugh.

Olly shuddered.

'Anyone would be better than that girl.'

'What?' asked James. 'Even Kaiya Zabini?'

'Okay,' said Olly with a laugh. 'Maybe she isn't that bad.'

'She was bad enough,' said Fred a little sadly. 'She made all our lives miserable, mine the worst and put me off relationships. I really like Ava though.'

'Well that's good,' said Olly kindly. 'What about you James? Have you got your eye on anyone at the moment?'

For some reason that puzzled Olly, James flushed bright red and Sage burst out laughing.


	8. You I Can't Believe What The Hell?

James was both uncomfortable and pleased to be left alone with Sage for a few minutes that weekend. They were headed to the library where Olly and Fred were going to meet them. Olly had sped off after breakfast saying that she needed to speak to Professor Frobisher about something she had found in one of her books, The Twelve Problems of Animagus Transformations, and Fred had said that he wanted to talk to Ava Love. James and Sage would have loved to stay around to watch Fred talking to Ava but they had been firmly warned to beat it. So now they were on their way to the library. Sage had no problems heading there but James was a little annoyed that in his last year he had now spent two days in the library. Of course he'd do anything to help out Olly even if it meant spending his precious weekend in the library of all places. Still he knew that Sage was going to probe him about his suspect feelings for Olly. Not that James had any suspect feelings for Olly and he was going to make sure that Sage knew that. In turn he was going to question Sage about this girl that Sage had been oh so subtly staring at when none of them had been paying attention. James wondered who it could be. It could be anyone really. Although hopefully it was a girl and not a guy and hopefully they were no younger than fifth year because the thought of Sage staring at someone in his baby sister's year made him feel a little sick. In fact if Sage had been staring at anyone younger than fifteen James decided he was going to give him the most disgusted look he could muster. That would let him know that he was sick. James didn't think it would be anyone younger than fifteen. Sage was far too sensible for that or maybe he just kept his sense for classes and studying. James certainly hoped not. He didn't want to have to call Sage a pervert.

James and Sage reached the deserted library without Sage noticing the strange disgusted looks on James' face that clearly gave away his train of thought. If Olly had been with them she would have noticed and so James thanked Merlin that he hadn't been thinking about Sage being a pervert whilst Olly was around. That would have been awkward to explain. They quickly chose the table furthest from the door hidden behind the shelves of books. They didn't particularly want anyone to know what they were doing and they had already had that slip up with Albus and Rose. James hoped that they hadn't told anyone else. He didn't want this to be harder for Olly and her mum than it already was.

'So who is this girl?' James asked Sage as he flung himself into one of the seats at the table. Sage blushed a little and then turned to look very interested in the books on the shelves. James eyed the back of his head as though he might find the answer somewhere amongst his hair which of course he wouldn't.

'Come on Sage,' he whined a little as he propped his feet up on another chair, 'you might as well tell me and you said you would anyway.'

'I'll tell you on one condition,' said Sage turning round the redness not yet left his face.

James' brow creased slightly.

'What's the condition?' he asked slowly knowing that it wouldn't be a good condition. If Sage said that he had to not get one detention for the whole year then it was no deal on James' part. As if he could go a whole year without a detention. He'd have to be as good as gold. He frowned a little deeper. Sage had better not be suggesting that he had to behave for the whole year if he was going to tell him who he liked. James would rather go without knowing.

'You have to admit that you like Olly,' said Sage with a little bit of a smirk as the last of the blush receded.

'I do like Olly,' said James with a bright smile. 'She is one of my best friends after all.'

'Oh James,' said Sage shaking his head the way teachers often did when James was once again placed in detention. 'I meant you have to admit that you are in love with Olly.'

'I am not,' James stated folding his arms across his chest.

'You are too.'

'Am not.'

'Are too.'

'Am not.'

'Fine then,' said Sage with a sigh. 'I'm not going to tell you then.'

James fought with himself internally for a moment and then his more mature side lost as he stuck his tongue out at Sage childishly. Sage shook his head again exasperated and James stared at his friend for a moment as he turned to begin scanning the books on the shelves. James cursed under his breath determined not to give in. He hated the fact that his natural curiosity was making him want to know who this girl was that Sage liked. He was not going to admit, however, to any suspicions that Sage had about his _completely platonic_ feelings for Olly.

'Come on Sage,' he tried to coerce his friend, 'just tell me who it is. I promise I won't breathe a word to anyone about it.'

'No James,' said Sage glancing back over his shoulder for a moment. 'You heard the deal. You admit that you have feelings for Olly and I will tell you who it is that I like.'

'I want a new deal,' James demanded and Sage sighed looking back towards the bookshelves. 'I'll promise to not play up in class for, say a month and you tell me who it is that you like. Let's be honest I'll probably work it out anyway.'

Sage knew that James couldn't see him but he rolled his eyes anyway.

'No deal,' he stated firmly.

'Come on Sage.'

'I don't understand,' began Sage turning round to face James again, 'why you are finding it so hard to admit to me that you like Olly and not just as a friend. After all, it's not like I'm going to tell anyone or even tell her. I just know that you like her and I just want to hear the confirmation from your own mouth. It's just plain obvious that you've got more than friendly feelings for her. In fact, I could start a betting pool on it and I would bet that there would be a lot of money being staked on you being in love with her.'

James felt his ears go red.

'No way,' he said trying to distract Sage from the redness spreading around his ears. 'Nobody would ever bet that I am in love with Olly especially since I'm not.'

Sage raised his eyebrow in disbelief. He sometimes couldn't believe how stubborn James was. It was very obvious to everyone that knew him that something had changed when he looked at Olly and Sage was surprised that Olly hadn't noticed. She was usually the most observant when it came to James so it seemed rather strange that she hadn't noticed the way he looked at her or maybe she had noticed but didn't want to say anything. Sage had been watching Olly closely since he had began to suspect that James liked her as more than a friend to see if she might return the feelings. He'd had no luck though. Olly hadn't changed a bit. She still acted the same way she always had and she still looked at James the same way she always had.

'Every one of your relations would bet on that,' Sage told James. 'Well except for Fred maybe because he can be completely clueless when it comes to it and let's be honest he isn't the most observant person in the world.'

'Fred wouldn't bet on it because he knows it's a load of bull,' James retorted pulling his arms tighter to him as though they would protect him from Sage's probing.

Sage rolled his eyes again feeling as though he had made a habit of doing it recently. Then again what else could be expected being friends with a Potter, a Weasley and a Black? He turned back to the shelves and began to scan again. He knew he had seen the old school roster book somewhere on these shelves which was why he had picked this specific table. He focused on looking for the faded black bindings of the book. He knew the lettering was somewhat faded now and so it wouldn't help to look for the title. Still, most of the books in that particularly part of the library had faded lettering. It could take forever to find the book he was looking for.

'You know,' piped up James again as he came to stand beside Sage, 'you might as well just tell me or I'll tell Fred that you like Roxanne.'

James smirked a little knowing it was the perfect trap but what he hadn't expected was the way Sage's face flushed red so vividly that he looked a little like a tomato. James frowned at his friend a little puzzled and then it hit him. His mouth dropped open and he stared at Sage in complete shock. When he tried to talk the words didn't seem to form properly and he was left opening and shutting his mouth like a goldfish. He pointed a finger at Sage and swallowed quickly trying to get a grip of the right words.

'You ... I can't believe ... What the hell? You like Roxanne?' he spluttered.

He didn't know how it was possible but Sage's blush intensified.

'Ha,' James laughed loudly feeling victorious. 'You're in love with Roxanne.'

'Would you keep it down?' hissed Sage angrily. 'Merlin, you're as bad as Fred.'

'But Sage,' said James immediately lowering his voice, 'you are in love with Roxanne, my cousin, the Head Girl, Fred's twin sister. Ew! That's a little wrong. Roxanne and Fred look so alike. Do you find Fred attractive?'

'No,' said Safe firmly, 'I do not find Fred attractive and yes I happen to like Roxanne.'

'This is just plain weird,' James told him. 'I mean I really should be giving you the "break her heart and we'll kill you" speech but you probably know it pretty much backwards since you've actually helped us deliver it before. When are you going to tell her?'

'Tell her?' said Sage staring at James like he had lost his mind. 'Do you think I am a complete moron? I'm not going to tell her. Fred will annihilate me, to say nothing of what your Uncle George would do and I'm not crazy enough to date a Weasley girl.'

'Well you're best friends with a Weasley and a Potter,' James pointed out. 'It's hardly like you are unequipped to handle the family.'

Sage raised his eyebrows.

'Yeah but your family is a whole lot different with any boyfriend dating any of the girls except perhaps maybe Teddy. If being friends with you and Fred has taught me anything it's that dating one of your sisters/cousins is a little bit like attempting to commit suicide.'

James laughed clapping Sage on the shoulder before he deposited himself back into his seat at the table.

'I'm sure Fred would be fine with it,' he told Sage. 'After all, you're a lot better than the last jerk that Roxy dated.'

'I might be a lot better than Biggins,' said Sage hotly, 'but I've got a sister too and if you didn't notice when you told me that Al like her I practically stared him to his grave. Fred is a little bit more hands on than I am.'

'You are over reacting,' James dismissed Sage's worries. 'Fred wouldn't do that to you.'

'Fred wouldn't do what to him?' said Fred's voice as Fred himself suddenly appeared from round the bookshelf. Sage and James stared at him in horror for a moment both wondering if he had heard any of their conversation.

'Errr ... you wouldn't ... em ... beat Sage up,' said James not being able to think quickly enough.

Fred laughed as he took a seat next to James.

'Why would I do that?' he asked.

James looked at Sage who had begun to blush a little again. James rummaged through his brain trying to find something plausible to say but all the ideas were sort of rubbish because there was no way Fred was going to buy things like he's planning to turn you into a robot or he finds your sister attractive. No wait, Fred would buy that because it was the truth.

'Because he was planning to spy on your little chat with Miss Ava Love,' said James suddenly inspiration striking him.

'Well I wouldn't beat you up Sage,' said Fred with a grin as Sage busied himself in looking for the book again, 'but I might have to prank you.'

'I'm sure I could live with that,' said Sage not turning round before he was sure that the redness had completely gone from his face. He could not handle the idea of Fred knowing that he liked Roxanne. Sage had felt a little crazy when he had first realised that he liked Roxanne in a non platonic manner. He had grown up with her and she was his best friend's sister and she was a Weasley. It didn't get much more awkward than that he thought. He had been very careful not to stare at her for too long or too much and he strived to not act differently towards her at all.

'What are you looking for Sage?' asked Fred making relief flood him when he realised that Fred had dropped the previous conversation.

'The book of old school rosters,' Sage told him as he continued to look. 'It's got a faded black cover with faded silver lettering up the side.'

Fred and James began to scan the shelves from where they sat at the table.

'There it is,' said James after a moment pointing to a large black book on the bottom shelf. Sage made a noise of triumph as he spotted the book and then hauled it from its place on the shelves. The book was large and contained lists of all the students who had ever attended Hogwarts since its inception. He put it down with an audible bang on the table and James and Fred stared at it a little horrified.

'Don't worry,' said Sage reassuringly. 'You aren't going to have to read it all. We just need to find the list of students for our parent's year.'

James and Fred looked relieved as Sage opened the book. He smiled when he realised that there was an index and he could immediately flip to the right page.

'Right,' he said looking up at James and Fred. 'Now we just need Olly. Where is she?'

James shrugged.

'I'm not sure,' he said. 'She is taking a long time. She said she'd only be five minutes.'

'Yeah but Olly is always late no matter what,' Fred told them as he put his feet up on the table and leaned back in his chair. 'If she says she'll be five minutes that actually means she'll be half an hour.'

'Maybe one of us should go and see if we can see her,' suggested Sage looking between James and Fred who then looked at each other.

'I'll go,' said James getting to his feet.

He left Sage and Fred and jogged across the library towards the door. He couldn't believe that Sage liked Roxanne. That was just completely crazy. He was pleased however that he had managed to find out without having to tell Sage about his feelings for Olly, not that he had any feelings for Olly other than friendship. Merlin, everything was happening this year. Fred liked Ava, Albus liked Alice, Sage liked Roxanne, Olly searching for her father and brother and everyone thinking that he was in love with Olly. Not that being in love with Olly would be a bad thing apart from her not being in love with him back. That would hurt but luckily he wasn't going to get hurt because he wasn't in love with Olly.

As James reached the doors Olly came in and he immediately grabbed her and hoisted her over his shoulder. Olly was more than a little surprised to find herself staring at someone's arse as they turned round and began to across the library.

'I got her Sage,' James shouted as he adjusted Olly on his shoulder. Olly could see Madam Pince glaring in his direction but James ignored her as he strolled through the library whistling.

'James, put me down,' Olly demanded painfully aware that one of his hands was resting on her bum. She could feel the heat from his skin through her robes. It was making her feel rather uncomfortable and she squirmed slightly. This had the opposite effect she had desired as James just took a firmer hold on her bum.

He came to a sudden halt and swung her down onto her feet. Slightly flustered Olly immediately began to sort her robes ducking her head to hide her flushed face. She didn't want Fred and Sage to think she had anything to be embarrassed about. She looked up at them. James was standing beside her his hands in his pockets and his hair in its usual messy style. Olly could still feel the heat from his hand on bum. Sage was sitting at the table with Fred looking up at expectantly clutching an old, rather tattered-looking book.

'Well,' Olly said breezily pulling out a chair and depositing herself on it, 'that was a nice welcome. Your shoulder has crushed my stomach though James.'

James grinned as he too took a seat at the table.

'You just took forever to get here,' he told her running a hand through his hair and messing it up at the back even more.

'Well I had to ask Professor Frobisher about a problem I came across,' she explained, 'and I've been so preoccupied thinking about my mysterious brother that she had to explain a couple of times before my brain would process it. Then on my way here I bumped into Kaiya Zabini being the usual cow she is.'

James and Sage both looked sympathetic when she mentioned Kaiya Zabini. The girl had it out for Olly and although Olly suspected it was because of James she hadn't told him that. Kaiya Zabini was completely obsessed with the idea of forbidden love and she found James terribly attractive. She was therefore extremely jealous of Olly's friendship with him and she constantly tried to flirt with him. Not that James had ever noticed.

'Well you're here now,' said Sage flipping the pages of the book to the correct page. 'I found the book with the student lists. You can see where your mum was obviously added on at the end of the list when she arrived in sixth year.'

Olly, James and Fred glanced at the page that Sage was showing them. Right enough, there at the bottom was Olly's mother's name obviously added a while after the others on the list.

'Let's see who is on here,' said Olly as she slid into the seat next to Sage and James sat back in his own seat.

'Just read out the boys, Olly,' James said.

'Okay. So Terry Boot, Michael Corner, Stephen Cornfoot, Vincent Crabbe, Kevin Entwhistle, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Seamus Finnegan, Anthony Goldstein, Gregory Goyle, Wayne Hopkins, Neville Longbottom, Ernie MacMillian, Draco Malfoy, Theodore Nott, Harry Potter, Quinn Rivers, Zacharias Smith, Dean Thomas, Ronald Weasley and Blaise Zabini.'

The three of them all looked at each other. There were twenty names on that list. They would have to whittle them down until they could find out which one was Olly's father. They wished that her mother had sent more information. Olly n't received a letter from her mother for an entire week and they were beginning to wonder what on earth was going on. Surely it couldn't take Kerr a whole week to send her daughter a new update. Yesterday Olly had eventually got tired of waiting patiently and had sent a letter home trying to hurry her mother up with her next instalment. Artemuis hadn't returned yet and Olly was starting to worry that this was all too much for her mother. After all, most parents didn't have to do this with their children.

'So we'd better narrow it down a bit,' said Fred lightly.

Olly dug around in her bag for a moment and produced a quill and a piece of parchment. She began to write down all the boys names from the list.

'Right well it's definitely not my dad,' said James starting off.

'Or mine,' Sage added.

'Or Uncle Ron,' Fred said and Olly scored off those three names.

'Nor do we think it's any of the other Gryffindors,' she added in striking through the names of Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas.

'It's definitely not Crabbe,' put in James. 'He died in the Battle of Hogwarts.'

'Better take Gregory Goyle off the list then,' said Sage. 'He doesn't have any kids and there is no way you mother would have ever, _ever_ gone there.'

Olly shuddered at the thought.

Well I'd certainly hope not,' she said.

James laughed.

'Well she didn't,' he told her. 'You're far too pretty to belong to Goyle.'

Olly felt a blush rising in her cheeks but ducked her head quickly so they wouldn't notice. James looked up to see Fred looking at him with a bemused expression and Sage looking at him with a slightly superior grin on his face.

'It's not Anthony Goldstein,' Olly said scoring his name off. 'We don't have a male Goldstein in our year.'

'It's not Quinn Rivers either,' Sage said. 'He was in Azkaban at the time of the Fundraiser.'

'And Scorpius Malfoy is too young to be your brother,' Fred reminded her.

'That's us down to ten,' said Olly frowning down at the names in front of her.

'We don't have boys in our year with the surnames Entwhistle or Hopkins either,' James pointed out.

She scored the names off and the four of them surveyed the list of the surviving eight candidates on the list. Olly sighed and ran her had through her hair pushing her it back from her eyes only to have it fall straight back into place.

'So that leaves Terry Boot, Michael Corner, Stephen Cornfoot, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Ernie MacMillian, Theodore Nott, Zacharias Smith, and Blaise Zabini,' said Olly shaking her head a little exasperated.

'Well we got it from twenty to eight,' Sage said encouragingly squeezing her arm.

'I know,' she said her frustration obvious in her tone. 'I just feel like we are getting nowhere fast. I keep messing up in my classes because all I can think about is the fact that my brother could be sitting next to me in class and I don't even know him. I have no idea who he is and I really hate it. I've always wanted to know who my father was. I just didn't realise that I'd be configuring a brother in there too.'

'It'll be okay Olly,' James told her putting his arm around her shoulders and giving her a tight hug. 'We'll find him.'

'Even if we do,' said Rio sadly. 'What happens then? What do my parents do? Do they meet again or do things go on the way they always were and we're still two separate families? What if my brother doesn't want to know me? How am I supposed to find them both and then give them up again? What if my dad is married and has other children? What if they hate me because I'm an outsider to the family?'

'Olly, you can't worry about these things now,' said Sage wisely. 'You'll just get yourself more worked up and upset. You just have to let everything play out and see how it will all end. If you're getting too stressed out about it then maybe we should take a break from looking for them and give you some time to work everything out in your head.'

Olly bit her lip for a moment considering. James still had his arm around her shoulders and she felt natural tucked under his arm. The warmth of his skin was seeping through her robes comforting her. She shook her head.

'I just want to find them,' she said firmly.

'And that's what we'll do,' James told her with a squeeze.

'That's what we're here for,' Fred told her beaming a little.

'Well let's just hope your father isn't Zacharias Smith,' said Sage looking down at the list gloomily. 'I don't think you particularly want to be twins with Zimmion Smith and I certainly don't want to play nice with the idiot.'

Olly looked horrified as she considered what Sage was saying. The four of them did not get on with Smith at all. They thought he was a sneaky, cowardly, little creep and he spent too much of his time staring at Olly lavishly which made the three boys want to poke his eyes out. Every single one of them had cursed or hexed Smith at least once and he quite literally made Olly skin crawl. The idea of him being her twin brother made her feel a little sick.

'It's won't be,' Fred said nonchalantly. 'There is surely no way that your mother would have being doing anything with Smith at any point in her life.'

'It could be Theodore Nott though,' James told Olly whose eyes lit up at the thought. She adored Eric Nott and she wouldn't be at all upset to find that he was her twin brother. The same could be said for Alexander Flint but since his dad had actually left Hogwarts before her mother had arrived, it was very unlikely that Alex's dad could have been her dad as well. Still being related to Eric and his dad wouldn't be all that bad.

'Well Eric does have blue eyes,' Olly said with a grin.

'We'll just have to wait and see if your mother sends us anything else, Olly,' said Sage. 'Then we can begin to narrow it down further.'

Olly nodded and then turned to look at where Fred was still sitting in his chair with his feet up on the table and a wide grin on his face. James noticed her brow crease into a frown and he too turned to look at Fred.

'Hey what gives?' he asked his friend.

'I've got a date,' chanted Fred joyfully, 'with Ava Love.'

* * *

_I am so sorry it's been so long since I updated.  
I have been crazy busy.  
I have also made some headway on my actual novel.  
Which can only be good.  
I am also going away on holiday to Turkey in three days.  
I will try to update before then.  
However, if I don't manage to then I am sorry.  
I will update as soon as I get back.  
Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
Please leave your comments.  
Cause I love reviews._

_Kerr X._


	9. What In The Name Of Merlin Happened?

The following week was a slightly unusual one for one reason and that reason came in the middle of the week whilst James, Fred, Sage and Olly were all in Potions class. Now everything had been going pretty well from James' point of view or rather as well as they could go when partnered with Fred for a complex potion whose name you can't even pronounce. Olly was working with Sage who had been avoiding James' eye all day because James had taken to waggling his eyebrow suggestively whenever Sage looked at him. Fred had done nothing but beam nonstop since the day he had successfully managed to get a date with Ava. Now James definitely pleased for Fred but along with his new found happiness he had also managed to make Olly look even more miserable in comparison. James was worried. His Auntie Kerr still hadn't sent any more letters and Olly was starting to worry something chronic. It was affecting her work a little and the Professors had started to notice that something wasn't quite right. Even their classmates could tell that something was wrong with Olly although James knew she was trying very hard not to let it affect her. She spent so much of her time staring at the other students wondering why she hadn't felt a connection with her brother and how it had taken her so long to find out about him. Rose and Albus had taken to popping up at regular intervals to ask how the search was going and Albus had even suggested that he would ask Scorpius to make in-house enquiries. James had told him not to bother. He didn't want Scorpius taking it back to his father. He knew that his Aunt Kerr and Scorpius' father didn't really get on. He didn't want to upset his Aunt Kerr.

Suddenly there was a loud bang very near their table and James automatically ducked dragging Fred with him thinking that Fred had somehow managed to make the Potion explode. After all they weren't supposed to be playing any pranks in class that day which was the usual reason for cauldron explosions in a Newt class. James could hear Professor Vaisey feet rushing across the classroom and brace himself for a bollocking not quite daring to take his hand away from his head yet in case some of the Potion spilled onto him.

'Black, what in the name of MERLIN happened?'

Slightly confused James peeked out from under his arm to look at where Olly was now picking herself and Sage up off the floor. The cauldron on the table was now a mangled mess of pewter but luckily neither Olly nor Sage seemed to have been hit by the Potion. On the other hand the walls hadn't been so lucky. A thick purple liquid was currently making its way rapidly back down the walls to the floor. James slowly pulled himself up to his full height and looked in his own cauldron. Now James knew he wasn't awesome at Potions but he wasn't that bad and he hadn't let Fred touch anything. Still his Potion was blue and in the book it said that by the end it should be a navy colour.

'Right Black stay behind at the end of class,' said Professor Vaisey in an exasperated tone, 'and clear this up.'

When class ended James, Fred and Sage gathered outside the Potions classroom to wait for Olly. James felt nothing short of confused. Olly never got anything wrong in Potions. She was Professor Vaisey's star pupil and as far as James was aware had never, ever been asked to stay behind after Potions. Not even when they had played a prank. Sure Fred, Sage and himself were asked to stay behind for a good talking to and maybe even detention but not Olly for some reason. James thought he was biased and Fred had actually suggested to Olly a couple of years ago that the Potions Professor was in love with her.

'What happened?' James asked Sage the minute the rest of the class had disappeared.

'I have no idea,' Sage told them looking completely bewildered. 'One moment everything was going fine, sure Olly was a little distracted but when is she not nowadays. The Potion was looking good it was the exact right shade of yellow and then BOOM! Suddenly I was on the floor with Olly on top of me.'

'Nice position to be in Sage?' asked Fred jokingly waggling his eyebrow suggestively.

'Don't be daft, Fred,' said Sage rolling his eyes. 'I'm not the one in love with Olly.'

James turned a strange shade of red and Fred looked slightly bemused.

'Well I'm not in love with Olly,' said Fred slowly. 'Are you trying to suggest that our fearless leader Mr James Sirius Potter is in love with Miss Olivia Serena Black?'

Sage nodded and Fred burst out laughing which made James feel a little better to know that Fred thought it was a ridiculous notion.

'Don't be stupid, Sage. James and Olly? James doesn't love Olly like that. If he did surely I would have noticed something? Surely he would have been acting ... differently.'

Fred frowned and turned to look at James obviously pondering something. James felt his ears burn a brighter red than his face as Fred stared at him. Fred then glanced at Sage who gave him one rather serious nod and then Fred looked back at James.

'In the name of Merlin you're in love with Olly,' shouted Fred excitedly.

'Fred could you keep it down,' hushed James angrily. 'I don't need you to declare it to the whole of Hogwarts especially when Olly herself is on the other side of the door.'

'Ha! You just admitted you're in love with Olly,' said Sage beaming.

'I am not,' said James. 'I'm not in love with Olly, Fred.'

'Yes you are,' said Fred. 'Well I think you are and Sage thinks you are so therefore it must be true. Oh is Olly in love with him do we think?'

'Not a clue mate,' said Sage shrugging slightly. 'I have been watching her but she doesn't seem to be acting any differently towards him. If she is in love with him then she is very, very good at covering up her feelings?'

'A bit like someone else we know eh Sage?' said James slyly.

James was a little disappointed that Fred didn't seem to notice the slightly flush that appeared on Sage's cheeks but he soon forgot about it as the door opened and Olly came out of the classroom into the hallway. She was looking down at her feet, an ashamed look on her face as she pulled the door closed behind her. She glanced round at the three of them and James wasn't sure how to describe the look on her face. A mixture of shame and bewilderment, he supposed.

'How did it go?' James asked her as she fell into step beside them and they slowly began to walk down the corridor.

'Was he mean to you?' asked Fred in mock seriousness.

'Ha ha, Fred,' said Olly with a small smile. 'No Professor Vaisey just asked me what was wrong with me and why I was messing up so much. He said he knew that I was messing up in my other classes as well and warned me that if I don't pull myself together I won't be able to attempt my animagus transformation this year.'

James automatically wrapped his arm around her shoulders and somewhere in the back of his head he realised that he had done that quite a lot this year. Still it had been called for with everything that had been going on. He just wanted to comfort her, he reasoned. She was his best friend, along with Fred and Sage. She was going through a rough patch and he knew that she needed reassurance.

'I'm sure you'll be fine once we get this all straightened out,' said Sage in comfort whilst giving James a sly look as Olly wasn't paying attention. James frowned at him and then turned his attention back to Olly.

'Sage is right, Olly,' he said. 'Once we figure out this mystery you'll be back on track. You'll be able to attempt the transformation and succeed without any problems whatsoever.'

'I know,' said Olly smiling round at the three boys. 'I'll be fine when we find my father and brother. I just wish we could do it sooner rather than later.'

'Don't worry,' said Fred confidently. 'After all who better to solve a mystery than the children of war heroes to say nothing of one of them being the son of Harry Potter, mystery solver extraordinaire?'

Olly smiled at that.

'And don't forget,' said James seriously, 'we have our first Quidditch match coming up this weekend so you'll need to use all the focus you have so we can beat Hufflepuff.'

Olly, Fred and Sage roared with laughter and Olly punched James in shoulder.

'Trust you to bring up Quidditch,' said Fred with a grin as James retracted his arm from around Olly looking hurt.

'Well I thought that it would be a useful distraction,' said James rubbing his shoulder. Olly sure could pack a punch when she wanted to. He didn't even think she realised how sore it could be to be on the receiving end of even just a playful punch from her. Still the boys hadn't ever told her. They didn't want her to think that they couldn't take it. Olly smiled a little though and then turned to hug James putting her arms tight around his neck.

'Well, for you it's a sweet thought,' she said.

James put his arms around her waist and hugged her back. Over her shoulder he could see Sage and Fred grinning at him with delighted knowledge in their eyes. He ignored them and concentrated on how good it felt to have Olly in his arms, pressed against him. Maybe he did like her as more than a friend. _Whoa! Slow down there Jamesie boy. You think you're in love with Olly? You're best friend of seventeen years? Isn't that just a little wrong? _Okay so maybe he wasn't in love with her. Maybe what he needed was a girlfriend. That was probably it. He just needed some fresh female company, maybe then Fred and Sage would see that he and Olly were just good friends.

* * *

The first Quidditch match of the year was held that weekend. Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff and the chance to wipe the sickening smirk off Smith's face. James was in the dressing room with the members of his Quidditch team practically pulsating with excitement and trying his hardest not to stare at Olly who was talking away excitedly with Lily and Roxanne.

'Right team,' he said with as much authority as he could muster in his excitement, 'we've been training hard for this and now we have to go out there and win it. We have the best team in the school. No one can beat this team.'

'You mean no one can beat this family,' piped up Albus making the rest of the team roar with laughter.

'We still have two members of this team who are unbeatable even though they are not related to us,' James told them firmly although he too was smiling. 'Now we're going to show Hufflepuff ...'

'And Smith,' muttered Fred to James' left.

'... that we cannot be beaten.'

The team cheered and began to gather by the door to exit the changing room each clutching their brooms. James stood in front with Fred behind him and they could both hear Sage's voice as he announced the Hufflepuff team. James was practically hopping around from foot to foot in his excitement and Fred had to keep telling him to calm down before he sprained something. He couldn't though. He adored Quidditch and was always very excited about the first game of the season. This year was his last year of playing school Quidditch. Hopefully next year he would be playing for a Professional team, at least as a reserve.

'Now the Gryffindor team,' said Sage's magically enhanced voice, 'Potter, Potter, Potter, Weasley, Weasley, Black and Wood.'

The Gryffindor team walked out onto the pitch to momentous applause and James walked into the middle of the pitch to shake hands with Zimmion Smith. Smith looked at him with a stupid smirk on his face and then glanced over James' shoulder to look at Olly who James hoped was giving him her best evil glare. James was certainly doing his best to crush his hand and was rewarded to see a slight look of pain flash across Smith's face. James managed to keep the smirk off his face as Smith tried to crush his hand.

Then they were in the air and James loved feeling the rush of the wind through his hair. His dad had always said that Quidditch had made him feel alive and that was the way James felt when he was on a broom playing Quidditch. He flexed his batting arm as he saw Madam Aaro release the two bludgers and the snitch before throwing the Quaffle into the air. They were off.

'The Gryffindor chasers are working together in seamless style,' Sage's voice cut through the air. 'It's Black, Potter, Weasley, Black. Oh watch out girls!'

James managed to fly in to bat the bludger away from Olly.

'Black passes to Potter. Potter shoots and scores! 10 – 0 to Gryffindor.'

James grinned as he watched his little sister high-five Olly as they flew into formation to take the Quaffle off Boot who had been headed down towards Wood who was hovering impatiently in front of the net. James flew around his players batting the bludgers away from them. He kept an eye on Albus who was hovering above the pitch not far from the Hufflepuff seeker his eyes trained on the pitch. James grinned as he batted another bludger away from Roxanne.

'20 – 0 to Gryffindor,' shouted Sage's exuberant voice as Olly put the Quaffle through the left hoop.

James punched the air and then began to concentrate again on the game. It began to get nasty as Gryffindor went 30 up on Hufflepuff and James was doing all he could to stop the bludgers that were constantly being whacked at Lily, Roxanne and Olly. He was glad that the three of them had such good reflexes and mostly managed to stay out of the way of the bludgers. Hufflepuff scored and Olly, Lily and Roxanne redoubled their efforts and managed to put Gryffindor up to 100 – 10 and James could hear Sage's voice shouting excitedly and the crowd cheering in the background. He grinned as he flew after the bludger headed for Albus and as he whacked it away the crowd seemed to all gasp together and he turned to watch Albus dive straight for the ground. Everything seemed to stop to James as he watched Albus shoot towards where the snitch was obviously hovering and Hufflepuff seeker was right on his tail. James held his breath hoping that Albus was able to pull up. He did not want Albus crashing into the ground. He could hear the crowd's nervous gasp and a couple of the students screaming for Al to pull up.

And pull up he did with the tiny snitch clutched in his palm but the Hufflepuff seeker was not so lucky and he crashed into the ground. James yelled in triumph almost chucking away his bat as he turned to look at the rest of his team. The first thing he noticed was that Lily and Roxanne both had outraged looks on their faces and were flying in Smith's direction. The next thing he noticed was the beater's bat in Smith's hand and finally he noticed Olly lying on the ground her black hair splayed out on the green grass of the pitch. He just stared at her for a moment in disbelief. Nobody seemed to have noticed except from the team and he could see out the corner of his eye that Fred and Wood were both heading in Smith's direction.

James felt anger through his veins as the crowd and Professor finally seemed to notice what had happened. Instead of heading for Smith he flew straight towards the ground where Olly was laying on the ground her eyes closed. How far had she fallen? He wondered as he reached the ground and practically threw himself off his broom. He looked around for her broom which was lying ten feet away from her. He threw himself to his knees beside her. She looked like she could have been sleeping but James could see the sticky patch of blood at the back of her head where Smith must have hit her.

Around him he could hear the fight erupting as Smith landed on the ground flowed by the rest of the Gryffindor team and the Hufflepuff team. He could hear Sage's voice shouting loudly that Madam Pomfrey was needed on the pitch and he could hear the sound of students and Professors spilling onto the pitch. He could hear Madam Aaro shouting at his teammates to stop fighting but he didn't turn round. He just stared down at Olly for a moment before sitting onto his backside and pulling her onto his knee. He cradled her head in his hand ignoring the stickiness of the blood that coated his palm. He felt at a loss. He didn't know how to fix it. All he could do was stare down at her. He felt suspended in disbelief.

'Olly,' he whispered in her ear holding her tightly to him. 'Olly, wake up.'

* * *

_Well that wasn't the greatest chapter.  
I'm having a little bit of a creative block.  
Still I go back to work tomorrow.  
I didn't want to not update for another week.  
Anyway my holiday was completely lush.  
I hope you enjoy this chapter.  
It took me most of the day.  
Let me know if you like.  
Cause reviews make me smile._

_Kerr X._


	10. I Sat By Your Bed&Stared At You All Day

Olly didn't wake up. Not that day or the next day or even the day after that. Madam Pomfrey, the ageing healer, kept saying that her body just needed time to recover from the head injury but that she would wake up when she was ready. Smith had been put in detention for the rest of the year by Professor Longbottom who was nothing short of completely furious. An owl had been sent to Olly's mother straightaway but Kerr had yet to reply or arrive at the castle making the Professors suspected that she was abroad again. Sage, Fred and James were all very worried although in James' case distraught might have been a better word. Fred and Sage were actually beginning to worry more about James than about Olly. He wasn't eating, he wasn't sleeping, he wasn't even talking except in one syllable words. He spent all his spare time, and even a lot of his class time, by Olly's bed. Mostly he was silent but occasionally he could be heard asking Olly to wake up. Now Fred and Sage weren't the only ones worrying about James. All of his cousins were starting to become worried about him. Lily kept saying that every time she saw him that his face looked even more heartbroken. Harry had been up to the school with Ginny to see Olly briefly one evening and they had been shocked by just how badly their son was taking Olly's coma. Harry confirmed that Kerr was indeed abroad with work but that he would make sure that she came home as soon as possible. He had also told James that he needed to stop worrying.

James himself just liked the moments he could just sit with Olly and hold her hand, just the two of them and no one else. He didn't suppose he minded all that much when Sage and Fred were there just that they spent a lot of time looking at him cautiously like he was about to do something drastic. He knew that his reaction to Olly's injury was confirming Sage and Fred's suspicions that he was in love with her but he didn't care. He'd admit to being in love with her a million times if she would just wake up. He hated leaving her at the end of the day afraid that she would wake up alone in the darkness although sometimes, in his dark moments, he was afraid of something else. He felt sick constantly and he kept thinking to himself that if she would just wake up everything would be a lot better. Madam Pomfrey said that the wounds had healed fine and there was no damage to anything internally, just that her body was getting over the shock. James supposed that if he'd had a cracked skull, a broken femur, a shattered humorous and four broken ribs his body might need time to recover as well. He also was well aware that if Olly had been awake she wouldn't have liked sitting still at all. She was always on the go and hated being the hospital wing. Maybe the coma would give her body the rest it needed.

On the fourth day Olly was still in her coma and predictably James had skipped class to sit by her bedside. He had been given several detentions already but Professor McGonagall had insisted that the detentions be wiped. He couldn't concentrate anyway. He sat there watching Olly's very pale face. Of course Olly was usually pale but every bit of colour had drained from her face. Her black hair was spilling out across the white pillowcase like a silk curtain and her lips were slightly parted. Her breathing was so quiet that sometimes James thought she had stopped breathing. It worried him a lot. He would never leave if he had the choice. Fred and Sage had to literally hover him out of the room on the first night, practically kicking and screaming.

James glanced up at the clock on the wall. Classes were nearly over for the day and James hadn't even noticed the time passing. He hadn't left since he had arrived at around 6 am that morning. He wasn't hungry even. He knew that Fred and Sage would be there soon bringing food with them. He glanced at Olly's bedside table. It was covered in sweets, flowers and cards from her friends. Alex Flint and Eric Nott had been up to visit her. James hadn't left her bedside though and instead just sat there like some unmoving statue. He could tell from Flint and Nott's hesitant speech when they were talking to Olly that they felt uncomfortable around him. He was pretty sure that it was due to the way he looked. He knew if he looked anything close to how he felt it had to be pretty scary.

'Have you eaten anything today?' said Fred's voice suddenly which normally would have made James jump but in his current state didn't bother him at all. He turned his head slightly to see Fred and Sage standing behind him with worried expressions on their faces. In their arms James could see food that they had obviously nicked from the kitchen before heading up. He shook his head ever so slightly and then looked back at Olly. He couldn't bear to take his eyes off her even for just a few seconds.

'You need to eat something, mate,' said Sage softly as he and Fred slipped into two chairs that were already positioned around Olly's bed for them. 'You'll be no good to the Quidditch team if you let yourself waste away.'

James didn't answer. Fred and Sage had been trying to coax him out of his trance-like state for the last four days. He knew he was worrying them and not just them but his siblings, his cousins, his parents and all the Professors. He knew he should pull himself together but he just couldn't. He was plagued by fear of what might happen. What if Olly never woke up? He didn't know if he would be able to handle that. She had been there his whole life.

'You know I hope you'd take it this hard if it were one of us?' said Fred as he took a bite out of a pumpkin pasty.

Again James didn't answer but continued to stare at Olly. In his peripheral vision he could see Fred and Sage exchanging a significant look. James wasn't bothered about what it meant. He couldn't even be bothered to stop them when they suggested that he admit that he was in love with Olly. So what if he was? He still wasn't sure himself but something inside of him felt like it was breaking a little more every day that Olly didn't wake up. He felt a little like he was losing his mind. Every minute he pleaded in his head that Olly would open her eyes. She never did though. He blamed himself. He should have protected her better. Fred and Sage told him that these thoughts were ridiculous and that it was Smith's fault. After all he was the one that deliberately hit Olly over the head with a beater's bat. There was no way he could have done it by accident since Smith was a chaser.

'You know Olly's going to kill you when she wakes up,' said Sage after a moment of silence.

James looked up in confusion.

'All this moping about by her bedside instead of being in class will send her right through the roof. She'll be worried that you'll fail your N.E..'

James looked back at Olly again raising one shoulder in shrug to indicate that he didn't care. Olly could be as angry as she wanted with him as long as she just woke up. He really didn't think he could stand it for much longer, just sitting there watching her, begging her to wake up but she didn't. This was what it would be like if she became an Auror. James' whole being recoiled at the thought of it. He had seen his Aunt Kerr lying in St. Mungo's bloodied and bruised and he did not want to imagine Olly in the same way. He would somehow have to persuade her not to be an Auror. That was if she ever woke up.

'James, mate,' said Fred in a slightly more cautious voice than he had been using, 'why don't you eat something? You really can't starve yourself on Olly's behalf. She'll be more than pissed if she realises that you haven't eaten for days?'

James looked up at them and they could immediately see the weariness in his eyes telling them that he just couldn't take it anymore. He looked exhausted and they could read on his face that he just wanted them to stop fussing over him. _Please just stop,_ is everything that they could see in his eyes.

'We need to go and get some homework done,' said Sage abruptly standing up and yanking Fred to his feet. 'We'll come back down in a couple of hours.'

As they walked away through the hospital wing James could feel their eyes on his back and heard the whispers of, '_I wish Olly would wake up_.' He knew that they were worried about Olly and that they were worried about him. He really didn't want them to have to worry about him but he just couldn't seem to pull himself together. Once Olly woke up it would be all right. He could deal with anything else if she would just wake up.

He sat there unmoving staring at her almost trying to will her into opening her eyes. It didn't work. He knew that of course it wouldn't. He had been trying to days. He leaned forward clasping her hand tighter in his until his chin was almost resting on the pillow beside her head. He could see the slight rise and fall of her chest as she continued to breath. He constantly monitored it because her breathing was so light.

'Hey Olly,' he said in a low voice, 'it's James although you've probably already guessed that. I would say I'm back but to be honest I haven't left all day. Sage and Fred were here a couple of minutes ago but they said they had some homework to finish. You're going to have so much to catch up with but at least I'll be doing it with you.'

James felt like an idiot. Although Professor McGonagall said that muggles have done some research into comas and have concluded that some people can actually hear people talking whilst in a coma, it didn't make him feel any less like an idiot. He just wanted to be able to talk to Olly, to actually hold a conversation with her. He hated talking to her when she couldn't respond especially since all he wanted was a response from her. What was he supposed to tell her? It wasn't like he could say much about his day. _Hey Olly, I've sat by your bedside and stared at you all day_. Olly would probably wake up then and kill him. James kind of wished that she would but if she could hear him then she definitely knew that he had been there all day. He had been holding her hand since he'd first arrived.

'Wake up, Olly,' he whispered to her for what seemed like the millionth time. 'Please.'

He looked at her but there wasn't so much as even a fluttering of her eyelashes. He sat back feeling the dark cloud of despair settle around him again. Absently he thumb stroked the back of her hand like he had done for the last four days as James struggled to think of something to say to her. He wanted her to wake up and look at him and smile. It had been so difficult to sit there day after day and not to reach over and try to shake her awake. That was what he had wanted to do from the beginning. He glanced down the length of her body looking for any sign of her stirring. She was still dressed in her Quidditch robes under the white sheets but she seemed to be lying comfortably. There was no hint of movement. He didn't know what to say to get her to wake up. It happened to those muggle films all the time. Characters in a coma would often wake up to the sound of the best friend's or husband's or boyfriend's voice. They always said the same thing though. It wouldn't work, James thought, but he might as well try it.

'Olly,' he whispered again leaning forward once more. 'Olly, please wake up. I – I love you.'

He swallowed slightly feeling very strange for having told Olly that he loved her even if she couldn't hear him. Even though he had told himself it wouldn't work the disappointment was crushing. Olly didn't stir in any way and James felt a little betrayed by those muggle films that his Aunt Hermione was so keen on. What was the point in teaching people to believe a lie? He sighed a little and then sat back again squeezing Olly's hand a little.

Just then there was a screech as Olly's owl Artemuis soared in through the open window of the hospital wing with a letter in his beak. James barely spared the owl a glance as he soared overhead and dropped the letter on Olly's bed before soaring out of the window again. James glanced at the letter and recognised his Aunt Kerr's handwriting immediately. He picked the letter up and set it on the side. He wasn't sure what it could be. It could be from his Aunt about Olly's father but then again it could be a Get Well letter. Not that James thought Olly's mum would send a letter. She was far more likely to turn up in person. He therefore concluded that the owl was mostly likely to contain information pertaining to Olly's father.

He put the letter up on the bedside cabinet and looked back at Olly. She looked as though she were sleeping. She looked comfortable in the bed laying on her back her eyelashes dark circles on her pale cheeks. James knew different though. Olly never slept on her back, she always slept on her front with on hand by her hip and the other curled tight to her chest. She hated sleeping on her back. She found it uncomfortable and was never able to get to sleep whilst in that position.

The doors of the hospital wing opened just then and Professor McGonagall swept in with Olly's mother, Kerr hurrying behind her. James turned to look at his Aunt Kerr. She too looked paler than usual almost the same shade as the silvery scar that ran down the right hand side of her face. She was dressed in black robes which billowed out behind her when she walked. James had always thought Olly's mum was an impressive woman but right now the thought seemed to overwhelm him. Surely if Kerr was here Olly would wake up.

'Olly,' Kerr whispered softly as she darted towards the bed where Olly lay and smoothed a hand over her daughter's hair. She stared at her for a long minute as James stared at Kerr his eyes flickering occasionally to Olly to see if she was responding to her mother's voice. There was no change so far and James felt like time had stop for a moment as he watched his Aunt Kerr stare down on Olly's peaceful face. Doubts were creeping into his mind again. What if Olly had simply been holding out for her mother to turn up? What if now she felt ready to slip away?

'James.'

James tore his eyes away from Olly to look at his Aunt Kerr who was standing beside him. She swooped down and gathered him in a rather fierce cuddle. James felt a little awkward. He was the best person for comforting people. Sure he could hold his own with Olly but she was his best friend. It was different with his Aunt Kerr especially since she never seemed to need any comfort from anyone. He gingerly patted her back and felt her give him a last squeeze before she pulled back from him.

'How has she been?' Kerr asked him her sharp eyes taking in James' drawn features and the way he was clutching onto Olly's hand.

James didn't know quite what to say and he wasn't quite sure what Kerr was asking him. Was she referring to the coma or was she referring to the revelations about her father and her brother? He didn't quite know what to say. He hadn't really used the volume in his voice for a while now and he wasn't quite sure if it was working. He had only whispered to Olly since the Quidditch match. He just couldn't find any words to say to anyone.

Kerr seemed to realise his difficulty because she smiled a little at him and then put a comforting hand on his shoulder. Out of the corner of his eye James could see Professor McGonagall leaving again and in the distance he heard the quiet bang of the hospital wing doors shutting. Madam Pomfrey had yet to come and greet Kerr but he suspected that she wanted to give Kerr some time with Olly. He looked up at Kerr who was staring down at her daughter again.

'I should have known,' she said in a low voice, 'that she would inherit the ability to attract trouble from me.'

James didn't answer but instead looked back at Olly. He knew Kerr was right. Olly did seem to have the habit of attracting trouble but he supposed no more so than him or Fred. He wondered whether his Uncle Fred had got together in the afterlife with his granddad and Olly's granddad to plot the biggest prank of them all and make sure that his mother, his Aunt Angelina and his Aunt Kerr all had children that were the same age, who would be best friends. The trouble makers. It wasn't like they just made trouble though, James thought, all three of them attracted trouble as well. If something was going to happen, it was bound to happen to one of them. At least the hand one member of the group who didn't attract trouble and who had his head screwed firmly on.

'I suppose it was a little too much to hope that she had inherited her father's ability to be almost invisible,' Kerr continued. James held his breath almost without realising. He had never in his entire life heard Kerr mention Olly's father.

'Oh Olly,' she said then her voice even lower as she bent towards her daughter, 'I am so sorry for all of this.'

James had felt uncomfortable plenty times before in his life but never more so than at that moment. He didn't want to be there to see how Kerr's face broke when she looked down at her daughter. He didn't want to see the twitch in her left hand which meant she was upset and nervous. As much as he didn't want leave Olly's side he knew that she wouldn't be alone. He looked at Olly and squeezed her hand not wanting to voice his goodbye. If she could hear him in her coma, she knew he would be back. Then looked at his Aunt Kerr and she looked back at him. He didn't have to say anything to know that she understood because she inclined her head towards him.

He let Olly's hand slip out of his and it felt so wrong as he turned his back and headed towards the hospital wing doors. He clenched his hands into fists violently feeling his nails digging into the palm of his hands. The pain made him feel a little better. He didn't really have any doubt anymore which felt a little strange to him because surely at some point it was going to be awkward. Yet the doubt was gone replaced by a fire of knowledge.

'I love you, Olly,' he whispered as he headed for the door not looking back round because he knew that it would break his resolve to leave her with her mother for a time. His words seemed so right to him. He did love her and not just as his best friend. It scared him a little but the words, unlike when he had said them earlier, seemed so right in his mouth. Everything seemed to slot into place right then.

He reached the door of the hospital wing and pulled open the door slightly. He hesitated on the threshold. Every fibre of his being was screaming at him to turn around and go back to Olly. His doubts for her life were there in full and he could admit, if only to himself, that he was terrified to leave her. Then, as he was about to walk out of the door, something stopped him. A voice, faint and wavering.

'James.'

* * *

_Okay well that was short.  
I so know that this has not been as exciting as the other chapters.  
I just wanted to have a bit of James/Olly.  
Something sweet.  
Anyway did you love it? Did you hate it?  
Let me know._

_Kerr X._


	11. You Say That Like It's A Good Thing

The cloud of despair lifted from James the moment Olly had woken up and Sage and Fred had never felt more relieved. James still insisted at getting up at ridiculous o'clock though so he could go and sit with Olly who was feeling extremely better. Professor McGonagall, however, had insisted that now Olly was awake that James should go back to classes. Hence James getting up at ridiculous o'clock so he could visit Olly before classes started then spent every break there and finally spent all evening there. Fred and Sage were often with him which was lucky as it didn't give him away so much. Now that he had finally admitted to himself that he was in love with Olly he felt a little awkward around her but not awkward enough to take away his joy at her coming out of her coma. Fred and Sage kept urging him to tell her that he loved her even though James hadn't even admitted to them that he was in love with Olly. He knew that they thought the way he had acted whilst Olly had been unconscious was enough proof but James didn't really care.

Olly's mother, Kerr had spent a couple of days at the castle until she was sure that Olly was a lot better before she went home to return to work. James knew that Olly had had a long talk with her mum about her father and brother but he didn't particularly want to think about that right now. He didn't really want Olly thinking about it either. He would rather that she focused on being a 100 percent better before she started thinking about anything else. That was why he had swiped the letter that Kerr had sent Olly from the bedside cabinet when neither of them had been looking and stowed it safely in his pocket. He would give it to Olly once she'd had time to rest.

Predictably, the moment Olly had woken up she had become restless. James, Fred and Sage had been ordered to bring down all her transfiguration and animagus books so that she could do some study. James personally thought that she took too much upon herself. Still he was so delighted with her recovery that he couldn't bear to disappoint her. So he let her have her books to keep her occupied for the two days that he was stuck in classes but told her that she had to stay in the hospital wing. Olly was notorious for trying to escape.

On the Saturday, a whole week since Olly had been knocked off her broom, James, Fred and Sage arrived at the hospital wing in the early hours to find Olly already awake and propped up against her white pillow. She held a massive book in her hands which she immediately closed when she spotted the boys.

'Hey guys,' she said beaming at them all. 'Merlin, Fred, Sage, you two look shattered.'

'That is because _someone_,' Fred glared evilly at James, 'has been dragging us out of bed at 6 o'clock for the last three days.'

James just grinned as he took up his usual perched on the edge of Olly's bed. He picked up the book on Olly's lap and then placed it on the bedside table as Sage and Fred slipped into the chairs on Olly's left hand side.

'So are you going to tell us what your mum said before she left?' asked Sage his eyes flickering between Olly and James suspiciously.

'She said that she was sorry,' Olly replied in a quiet voice, 'and that she never meant for things turn out this way. She said she wishes she could go back in time and do everything over again. I don't think I've ever seen my mum so unsure in her life.'

James looked at Olly feeling overly protective again as she looked down at her hands as she clenched them into fists. He could see the way her knuckles turned white from the force of her clench. He immediately wanted to wrap his arms around her but refrained from doing so. He didn't need to give Fred and Sage any more reasons to look at him and Olly suspiciously.

'She said there was another letter,' Olly continued looking up as she unclenched her fists, 'but I haven't received it yet. I've been dying to get to the Owlery so I can see if Mercury is back yet. I might go tonight.'

'Stay in your bed, Olly,' said Fred with a grin.

James could feel the letter in his pocket like it was burning a hole. He knew she should really give the letter to Olly but he didn't want her to get all worked up again before she had the chance to recover properly. On the other hand, if he didn't give her the letter now and she found out later, she would kill him. That and he didn't particularly want her sneaking of the Owlery during the night having just come out of a coma.

'Actually, Olly,' said James in a slightly ashamed voice slipping the letter from his pocket, 'I have the letter. I wanted to make sure you were feeling better before you read it.'

Olly stared at the letter then glanced up at James before she snatched the letter from his hands and whacked him over the back of the head with it.

'Nice to see you're feeling better,' commented Sage with a smirk which clearly said "that's for not telling her you're in love with her".

James tried to glare back "shut up or I'll tell Fred about your thing for Roxanne" but he didn't think that Sage really got it. He turned back to look at Olly who was already breaking the seal of her newest letter about her father. James hoped that it had some good information in it. The quicker this thing was over the better.

'Read it out, Ol,' said Fred and James glared at him. Imagine asking the girl who had only just woken up from a coma to read out a letter that was bound to get her quite emotional. Unfortunately, Fred didn't seem to notice.

'Just hand it round, Olly,' James told her as he watched her eyes scanning the letter from her mother. He could see in her lap the older, faded parchment of her father's love letter. He wondered briefly if he should right Olly a letter explaining how he felt about her but then pushed the thought out of his mind as Olly handed him her mother's letter.

_Dear Olly,_

_I am sorry that this is taking so long my darling but I have been a little sidelined with work. I spoke with Neville the other day who said you had asked him about your father. Using your initiative I see. Hopefully you have managed to narrow it down to a few candidates. Hopefully the enclosed letter from your father will narrow that list down a bit more for you. I know you're probably starting to get sick of this and I know you will more than likely have a million questions. I will answer all these questions for you. We both will. You will have the chance to ask us all the questions you would like to know the answer to. It's the least we can do after all for you and your brother. I ask one favour. Please owl me when you find your brother. I don't even know his name._

_All my love_

_Kerr_

_X_

_I don't even know his name ..._ That bit hit James in the chest like a cement truck doing sixty miles an hour downhill. How could she have done that? How could his Aunt Kerr have gone through seventeen years of not knowing her own son's name? He passed the letter over to Sage and Fred just as Olly let out a yell of triumph.

'What is it?' he asked.

'Listen,' said Olly excitedly.

_For Kerr,_

_You are foolish you know that. I am sick with worry. You should have let me handle them but no you're always so eager to prove yourself. Now look where it's landed you, bloody St. Mungo's. I don't even know why I am writing this to you. You aren't going to get it until you get home but I suppose I'm writing it because I can't come and see you. Next time I see you however ... well, just you wait and see. Of course I'm bloody fine. Not you. I tell you something Potter, Granger and Weasley better look after you when you get out of there and they'd better not let you go back to work straight away. I'll kick their Gryffindor butts and don't you even think about laughing at me. I can still kick their butts. I am sly and cunning after all. You Gryffindor's aren't everything._

_I don't know how this owl has turned into a humorous one because I am really furious with you for putting yourself in harm's way like that. Next time we run into Death Eater's I'm going to put you in a full body bind, cast a disillusionment charm on you and hide you the nearest place that they can't get to you. Bloody Death Eaters or rather bloody Hero Complex. Where did you get that? Potter no doubt. Why couldn't you have been a Slytherin and have been worried about your own neck? You had me acting like a bloody Gryffindor. No Slytherin should ever have to endure that. Don't start laughing to yourself. This bollocking isn't over yet._

_Now do as the healers say and take care of yourself or I'll be even angrier. I love you. Take care._

_All my love_

_X_

'My dad's a Slytherin,' said Olly in triumph brandishing the letter.

'Olly you say that like it's a good thing,' said Fred raising one eyebrow.

'Well I don't care,' said Olly with a shrug, 'as long as it's not Smith I'm bloody happy for however it is.'

The three boys smiled at Olly for a moment as she sat there her face shining with happiness. In truth they were pretty glad that Olly's brother wasn't Smith either because that would have been the biggest pain in the butt ever. Not that they thought they'd have to play nice with the idiot because they were pretty sure that Olly wouldn't forgive him and surely Kerr would have said something when she had been told that Smith was the one that knocked Olly into a coma.

'So who does that leave?' asked James curiously turning to look at Sage who was raking around in the bottom of his bag. James didn't really understand how Sage found anything at all in his bag. It was crammed to the brim with books that weren't even for class. At least when Olly decided to bring some extra reading it was normally only the one book. Sage had several different books for reading and which one he read would be dependent on his mood. He said there was no point in bring only one book because what would he read if he just wasn't in the mood for the book he had brought? Sometimes the boy made James' head spin.

'Ah Ha,' said Sage in triumph as he pulled the rather crumpled list out of his bag and waved it around in the air before producing a quill. 'Okay so Terry Boot.'

'Nope Ravenclaw,' said Fred.

'Not Michael Corner either then,' said Sage as he crossed off the names. 'Stephen Cornfoot?'

'I'm pretty sure he's a Hufflepuff,' said Olly.

'Justin Finch-Fletchley?'

'Definitely a Hufflepuff,' said James with a smirk all of a sudden. 'He was the one that dad apparently set a snake on in second year and then everyone though that my dad was the Heir of Slytherin.'

The four of them laughed a little and then turned back to the list.

'Ernie Macmillan is a Hufflepuff,' said Fred glancing over Sage's shoulder.

'And we know it isn't Zacharias Smith,' Sage concluded and then looked at the two names left on the list. 'So the two contenders for your father Olly are Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini.'

Olly frowned a little.

'What does Zabini look like?' she asked the boys.

'What our Zabini or this Blaise Zabini?' asked Fred.

'Our Zabini.'

'No idea,' the boys told her all together.

It was true. Zabini was a quiet kind of guy and although he was friends with Bletchley and Bole as well as Flint and Nott none of them could really say they had spoken to him before. He was always in the background and throughout their seven years at Hogwarts none of them had really looked at him. Then again his sister was Kaiya and she sort of made everyone who knew her not want to know anyone related to her.

'I can't picture Aunt Kerr with a Slytherin,' said James after a moment as he gazed thoughtfully into the distance. 'I mean what to Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott actually look like? Do their sons look like them?'

'Aren't they both married?' asked Sage.

'Yeah,' said Olly. 'Although Eric's father wasn't married at the time of the fundraiser but I remember that Kaiya's parents were married at that point.'

'So who do you think it is then?' asked Fred.

All four of them fell silent thinking. Olly was completely confused. Surely she couldn't be related to Kaiya Zabini. She struggled trying to remember what her brother's name was. John? Jack? Jacob? That was it Jacob Zabini. She tried to search through her memories that included him but she couldn't picture his face. She turned her thoughts to Eric Nott. She could quite imagine being related to Eric. He was a good laugh and they got on really well together. It was much easier to believe that Eric Nott was her brother. After all, Theodore Nott hadn't been married when the Fundraiser was on and Olly didn't like to think that her mother had had an affair with a married man.

'Well, at least, we've got it down to two choices now,' said Sage trying to lighten the intense mood.

'Yeah but how are we going to find out which of them is my brother?' asked Olly with a frown. 'It's hardly like I can go up to them and say "hey, by the way, apparently one of you is my twin brother and I was just wondering if my mother has been writing to you". Eric would pee himself with laughter.'

'We could ask that other Slytherin friend of your to investigate for you,' suggested James struggling to remember the other Slytherin's name.

'What you mean Alex?' said Olly. 'No, my mum asked that we keep this between ourselves.'

'Well Albus and Rose already know,' pointed out Fred, 'and we could ask Flint to be discrete. Surely he would do it for you and anyway Nott's his best friend surely he's going to know if Nott's been getting mysterious owls from your mother?'

'I suppose,' said Olly reluctantly.

James watched Olly for a moment concerned that she had already put too much stress upon herself. She was supposed to be getting out of the hospital wing on Monday to resume her normal classes and he really wanted her to be okay. Of course, he knew that the sooner they solved the mystery the sooner Olly's work would pick back up. She was about one exploding cauldron away from being assigned a study partner for Potions, either that or getting a detention. He also didn't want her to not be able to attempt the animagus transformation that year. She had been looking forward to it for quite some time.

'Right let's not think about it again until you get out of the hospital wing,' announced James in what Fred had nicknamed his "Quidditch Captain voice". 'You need to just focus on getting back to normal.'

'You're just saying that because you need me back on the Quidditch team,' said Olly slyly with a grin on her face.

'I am not,' countered James. 'You're not allowed back to Quidditch practice for two weeks after you get out.'

There was a deafening silence as Olly, Fred and Sage all stared open mouthed at James who could feel his ears turning red. Olly exchanged incredulous glances with Fred and Sage before they all stared back at James.

'What?' he asked uncomfortably.

'Who are you and what have you done with James Sirius Potter?' asked Fred with a laugh.

'Well, Olly's just woken up from a four day coma having been smacked across the head with a beater's bat and falling off her broomstick, Merlin, knows how many feet. I'd rather she was completely better before I let her back to practice.'

Fred and Sage snickered together and James could read their expression all too easily. Instead of looking at them he switched his gaze to Olly who was still staring at him although thankfully she had now shut her mouth. He felt the blush intensify. He wasn't really that much of a slave driver was he?

'Well,' Olly finally managed to speak, 'that's very nice and very strange, of you James but I'll be fine to come back to Quidditch practice this week. I already feel a whole lot better and we need to beat Ravenclaw in the next game. I'm dying to take Brett Wells down.'

'You're not coming back to practice for two weeks,' said James firmly. 'You'll have plenty of time after that to brush up on your chaser skills.'

James ignored Fred and Sage's faces to his right and instead focused on staring his meaning into Olly. He didn't mean that she couldn't come along to practice just that she wasn't allowed to take part until he was certain that she was a lot better. He didn't want her to get hurt again and he also didn't want her to be pushing herself before she was ready in case she got injured in time for the next match. He didn't say that though. He knew that they would have all laughed at him if he had told them.

To his surprise Olly didn't argue but leaned back against her pillows as though contemplating something. James hoped she wasn't thinking of ways to get around him about the Quidditch practice thing. He wasn't going to budge on the subject and he would lock up her broom in his trunk if need be. He would much rather that she studied for the animagus transformation rather than getting straight back on a broom.

'Well, Olly's your coma must have given him a right shaking up,' began Sage sending a sly look James' way, 'but then we all know ...'

'Fred,' James interrupted Sage loudly, 'I believe Sage has something to tell you.'

Fred immediately looked suspicious and Olly sat forward again interested. James was rewarded to see a furious flush racing up Sage's cheeks and he flashed him a smug smile glad that he'd managed to thwart his attempt to tell Olly that he was in love with her. He was perfectly capable of doing it on his own.

'What is it?' asked Fred glancing from Sage to James.

Sage glared at James furiously. He did not want to have to tell Fred this way but he supposed it was his own fault. If he hadn't tried to expose James then James wouldn't have triggered Fred's suspicions.

'Well?' asked Fred impatiently.

'Fred, it's nothing,' Sage tried to keep the secret longer. 'Honestly James is just trying to throw me off telling Ol ...'

'Sage is in love with Roxy,' shouted James quickly.

That sly bastard, thought James, he very nearly got me there. He then watched in satisfaction as Olly's mouth dropped open once more and Fred rounded on Sage a look of fury in his eyes as he glared at his best friend.

'You WHAT?'

* * *

_Oh I just had to expose Sage.  
Just so James could hold to his secret (or not so secret) love for Olly.  
I hope you enjoyed that chapter.  
I want to see more reviews people.  
I am feeling seriously unloved.  
And reviews make me write faster.  
Also I've done a little spin-off freeverse one shot thing.  
From Olly's father point of view.  
It's called Stand There & Watch Me Burn.  
I would appreciate it if you would take a look  
&& let me know what you think.  
Muchos love._

_Kerr X._


	12. No Matter Who I Date They'll Be A Jerk

_dedicated to dork-with-glasses_

* * *

'Fred, you know it's not something I can control!' yelled Sage as he skidded into a new corridor nearly losing his balance before he took off running once again. Behind him he could hear erratic thudding of Fred's feet as he chased him through the corridors. Merlin, I'm going to kill James, he thought as he slid neatly into a new corridor.

'You'd better hope I don't catch you, Longbottom,' bawled Fred from somewhere behind him as he too entered the new corridor. Oh, so it's Longbottom now, thought Sage. He knew that Fred would kill him if he had ever found out about his, rather major, crush on Roxanne. Sage could tell Fred was gaining on him and cursed under his breath regretting that he'd never been that athletic. Fred had the upper ground when it came to running.

'Come on, Fred,' Sage shouted over his shoulder trying to pacify the furious Weasley. 'It's not like I've done anything about it.'

This didn't pacify Fred at all. In fact, he seemed to redouble his efforts probably due to the images that Sage had unintentionally placed in his head. Sage could hear him practically growling and he tried to speed up, tried to fly. He skidded into another corridor and this time he actually lost his balance. He went sprawling on the floor and managed to stop just before colliding with the wall. He didn't have much time to be grateful before he felt a pair of hands grab his t-shirt. I'm dead, he thought and pressed his eyes together tightly waiting for the impact of Fred's fist.

'Fred Weasley, Sage Longbottom,' shouted an all too familiar voice to Sage's ears. 'What in the name of Merlin are you doing?'

Sage slowly opened his eyes to see Roxanne Weasley looking down at him her long red curls loose about her face and her twinkling blue eyes flickering between him and Fred. She was wearing a skirt which showered of her beautifully long sculptured legs. Maybe he was dead already.

'Fred let Sage go,' Roxanne demanded of her twin.

'But Roxy,' Fred argued not releasing Sage who could see the white knuckles of Fred's balled up fist, 'I have to punch him.'

'No buts Fred,' she told him firmly. 'What exactly has he done? I thought he was your best friend.'

He was dead, thought Sage, and this was Hell. He doubted he had ever been more embarrassed in his life than he was about to be. He could feel himself going red already. He had never ever wanted to tell Roxanne about how he felt for her but now it seemed like he wasn't even getting the chance to decide. Great, first James blurts it out to Fred, he thought, now Fred's going to blurt it out to Roxy.

'He bloody fancies you,' Fred complained as he let go of Sage distastefully and Sage fell backwards to the ground his face on fire. He couldn't move for a few moments as Roxanne looked between the two of them in disbelief.

'Don't be stupid, Fred,' she said eventually and Sage heaved a sigh of relief as he began to pick himself up off the floor.

'I'm telling you the truth,' Fred told her. 'Sage has been ogling you since last year.'

Sage didn't know if it was possible to blush any more but the heat in his face seemed to increase as Roxanne looked at him and he took a keen interest in his shoes. He didn't really want to face her clear blue eyes because Fred was telling the truth and Sage really wished that he had never let it slip to James that he had been ogling anybody. Then again if he hadn't tried to expose James then this would have never happened. Sage didn't like being rational at the current moment. He just wanted to blame James for telling Fred and now Fred for telling Roxanne.

'Is this true?' Roxanne asked him and Sage slipped a sideways glance at Fred who was wearing a rather smug superior grin on his face which clearly said "now I'll just watch whilst Roxy hands your ass to you". He took a deep breath and looked up at Roxanne who was watching him with intent eyes. She didn't look angry in the slightest. She looked calm and interested and Sage could see her right hand trembling just slightly.

'Yeah,' he told her avoiding her eyes once again and looking down. 'Sorry, Roxy.'

There was dead silence for a moment and Sage felt like he was almost sweating under the pressure of being in front of Roxy who had just been told that he was in love with her and that he had been ogling her. An angry Fred and an angry Roxanne were just no combination to be having at all. Sage was just hoping that they would hurry up with the beating so he could go back to the hospital wing to get Madam Pomfrey to fix him up.

'Really?' Roxy breathed and the sound of her voice made him look up at her and her eyes were sparkling. Sage was a little confused by the lack of a beating and even more surprised when Roxanne drew closer to him until she was standing at arm's reach.

'Sage would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?' she asked and Sage felt as though he had been winded. He stared at her for a moment in shock as Fred began to splutter in the background. Did Roxanne just ask him out? Was he dreaming? Was he about to wake up and find that it was just a dream? Who in their right minds would want to date him? Well, he supposed, Weasleys were all completely bonkers and Roxanne had George for her dad.

'Of course I would love to,' Sage managed to eventually reply without, he thanked Merlin, stuttering his words and then Roxy leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. Sage's heart nearly burst out of his body as Roxanne pulled away and gave him a small smile.

'No Roxy,' complained Fred loudly. 'I didn't tell you that so you could ask him out. He's a jerk.'

'Aw thanks Fred,' Sage said insulted as he looked at his best friend who was red in the face from anger and probably embarrassment as well.

'Well it's nice to know,' Roxy said rounding on Fred, 'that no matter who I date they'll always be a jerk.'

'They all were jerks,' shouted Fred, 'and if you start going out with my best friend then he'll be a jerk as well.'

'All my boyfriends have been jerks,' Roxy yelled. 'You don't like any of them, not Tom or Greg or Steve or Gavin.'

'Actually Roxy, Biggins was a jerk,' said Sage interrupting cautiously. 'James and I even agree on that.'

'Well, I know that,' Roxy stated, 'but you're not a jerk. You're his best friend.'

'Best friends don't date their best friend's twin sister,' bellowed Fred looking furious, 'and twin sisters shouldn't date your best friends because that turns him into a jerk.'

'Well tough,' roared Roxy. 'You'd think you would be pleased that I was finally dating someone that you actually approve of and don't tell me you don't because you're always saying that maybe if you acted a bit more like Sage then perhaps more girls would be interested in you.'

'Roxy,' barked Fred obviously even more embarrassed and Sage felt like he was watching that muggle game where they hit the ball back and forward. Where was the fun it that?

'If you hurt him Fred I'll put you in detention.'

And with that Roxy kissed Sage's cheek again and then stalked off down the corridor her shirt swinging with her hips and the light from the windows turning her hair into blazing fire as she passed. Sage simply stared after her for a minute and then looked at Fred.

'Thanks for the vote of confidence,' said Sage.

'You had better run,' Fred warned him.

Sage took one look at Fred's face and then decided that his assessment was correct. He turned on his heel and bolted down the corridor trying to remember how to get to the Gryffindor common room from where he was. After a few seconds he heard Fred's feet as they pounded the floor and he tore after him. Sage rounded the corner and there thank Merlin was the tapestry of Gabold the Goblin Genius which indicated he wasn't that far from the Gryffindor common room. Although of course that posed new problems such as Fred getting help from Albus and Hugo. Still if he was lucky James would have made it back to Gryffindor tower in time to save him. If he wasn't so lucky he'd have to find some way to dart back round Fred and head to the hospital wing where surely Olly would save him. Maybe it had been stupid leaving the hospital wing in the first place.

Sage gratefully skidded to a halt in front of the fat lady.

'Felix Felicis,' Sage almost screamed at her.

'All right, all right, calm down,' said the fat lady indignantly as she swung open to allow him admittance. Sage dashed through the portrait hole and erupted into the Gryffindor common room making those already in there stare around at him. Sage looked around him quickly trying to decide where the hell he was going to hide.

'Hey Sage,' said Albus from where he was sitting by the fireplace with Rose, 'what's wrong?'

Sage heard the portrait behind him swing open. Now he really was dead but suddenly there was a loud bang and a groan. Sage turned round and found Fred sprawled on the floor with James who had obviously jumped on him when he had come into the room.

'Calm down, Fred,' James shouted trying to pin back his best friend and cousin.

'No it's bad enough he fancies my sister,' snarled Fred, 'but now they're actually going on a date.'

'What?' said James in surprise letting go of Fred for a moment. A moment was all Fred needed. He flung himself to his feet and punched Sage in the jaw making all the students grouped around in the common room gasp. Sage felt very lucky to have not been floored but his jaw throbbed like hell. He was glad that it wasn't broken because he was sure that it would have hurt like hell. He rubbed his jaw a bit and then turned back to see Fred staring at him no longer red in the face and James hovering behind him.

'What was that for?' Sage asked him.

'Well if you are going to date my sister,' Fred told him, 'you'd better realise what it's going to feel like if you break her heart.'

'So you had to punch me?' asked Sage clenching his jaw and checking to make sure none of his teeth were loose.

'Yeah,' said Fred with a grin. 'I promised myself that the next guy who dates my sister needs to be punched at least once before going out with her so he is discouraged from hurting her like that bloody Biggins jerk.'

Sage stared at him in disbelief. Fred was crazy. He had always known that he was crazy but today just seemed to confirm it for him. As if he needed confirmation. He had known Fred since he had been born.

'You know I won't hurt her.'

'I know it's just ...'

'Hold up there guys,' interrupted James as he came to stand beside Fred. The rest of the common room was looking on curiously, 'since when did Sage start dating Roxy?'

'Since about ten minutes ago,' said Fred looking at Sage as though waiting for his confirmation.

'How the hell did that happen?' asked James confused. 'One minute you are both running out of the hospital wing shouting at each other. Sage was trying to get you to calm down and you screaming that you are going to kill him and now you are back in the common room having punched him. So how in the name of Merlin's sagging left ball did Sage manage to find the time to ask Roxanne out?'

Everyone around seemed to lean in to hear how on earth it had happened.

'Well you see I fell over,' began Sage.

'There's a surprise,' said James rolling his eyes.

'And I caught up with him and was about to give him a good punch when –'

'- Roxy walked up and started asking what it was all about.'

'So I told her that Sage had been ogling her –'

' – and then she asked me if I'd like to go to Hogsmeade with her next weekend.'

'So I told Roxy that he was a jerk –'

'- and then he and Roxy had a big argument about every guy Roxy dates being a jerk.'

'So Roxy storms off after kissing him on the cheek –'

'- and then he started chasing me again.'

'So now he's going out with Roxy,' finished Fred.

'Congratulations Sage, mate,' said James laughing as he clapped Sage on the shoulder. 'See I told you he wouldn't kill you.'

Suddenly the whole common room erupted in laughter and people flooded around Sage congratulating him. Several of the guys commented that they had no idea that he liked Roxanne and that he was lucky because she was stunning. These comments earned them some not so subtle glares from Fred and Sage got a couple of warnings from Hugo and Albus. Sage just grinned feeling a little on top of the world because if hadn't been for that he probably would have never got up the courage to ask Roxy out. James still had to pay for what he had done though.

'Hey James,' said Sage jovially over the crowds.

'What?' James asked grinning at Sage.

'Now you don't have any leverage to keep me quiet I'm definitely telling Olly.'

Sage was satisfied to see James turn a little white.

'You wouldn't dare.'

'Oh yes I would.'

The next day James was rather nervous as he, Fred and Sage headed up to the hospital wing to visit Olly. They'd had to leave it to the afternoon as James had called a Quidditch practice that morning. Sage had a rather superior grin on his face which was making James sweat. He really didn't want Sage to tell Olly about his suspect feelings for her especially since Sage didn't actually know for sure because James had yet to confirmation that he was indeed in love with Olly. He had put off telling Fred and Sage because he knew how triumphant their faces would look if he had admitted it. It didn't help that Sage had said to Fred that he couldn't tell if Olly liked him back and James was terrified of ruining their friendship. He had tried to explain this to Sage but he had ignored him saying it was better if it as out in the open and how would he ever know if Olly wasn't told. James didn't like his logic but he had kept quiet. If Sage told Olly that he was in love with her Olly was sure to laugh and think it was just a prank.

They went in through the hospital wing doors to see Olly propped up on her cushions looking a lot better than she had even just the day before. She wasn't alone however as Alex Flint was sitting by her bedside. James felt a little sting of jealousy as he looked at the way Olly was laughing at something Flint said.

'Hey Olly,' he said as he reached her bed. 'Flint.'

'Potter,' Flint said. 'Weasley, Longbottom.'

'Hey James,' said Olly beaming brightly at him. 'Sage, Fred what on earth happened yesterday?'

'To cut a long story short,' said Sage, 'Fred punched me and I'm going on a date with Roxy next weekend.'

Olly looked thoroughly confused but then smiled.

'All right,' she said. 'That's good. Are you leaving?'

She turned to look at Flint who was getting out of his seat.

'Yeah Olly,' said Flint with a grin. 'I'll let your friends spend some time with you. Anyway I said I'd meet up with Nott and Zabini. We've got to do some research for a project.'

He said his goodbyes and then left allowing James, Fred and Sage to take up residence around Olly's bed as usual. Olly grinned round at them all.

'Who researches a project on the weekend?' asked Fred in disgust looking at where Flint had just disappeared out of the hospital wing doors.

'People who don't want to fail their exams, Fred,' said Sage rolling his eyes.

'People who have projects due on Monday,' added James.

'People that need to find out who their twin is,' Olly put in.

The three boys stared at her for a moment.

'What?' she asked. 'Flint, Nott and Zabini are going to the library to do research for a project apparently. That's Nott and Zabini, the two prospective Slytherin candidates for my twin brother. Surely they could be researching for that reason.'

'Maybe,' James conceded. 'So how has your morning been?'

Olly shrugged blushing a little.

'It's been okay,' she told them. 'Caruso came to see me this morning.'

That took the three boys back. Machali Caruso, more commonly known as Mac, was a Ravenclaw student in their year, a good looking Ravenclaw in their year who played keeper for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. He and Olly had got on talking terms last year when they had almost collided during the Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw match. However, it was strange that he would come to see her in the hospital wing.

'What did he want?' asked Sage frowning a little.

'Well he asked me to Hogsmeade next weekend,' Olly told them her blush intensifying.

The three boys seemed to freeze and Sage glanced at James who seemed as though as had stopped breathing.

'And what did you say?' James asked quietly almost deathly white.

'I said yes.'

* * *

_Well what did you think?  
I loved this chapter as I was writing.  
Although I was worried it was going to be a little short.  
The credit for the Fred chasing Sage idea goes to dork-with-glasses.  
Which is why it is dedicated to her.  
So did you love it? Did you hate it?  
Review and let me know.  
Cause I'll love you if you do._

_Kerr X._

_P.S. Dork - i'll still be writing you a Sage/Roxanne one-short, don't you worry.  
Also if anybody else would like a one-shot written about any of the next gen characters please let me know.  
It might take a while though ... a little swamped at the moment.  
See my profile page for my usual shippings although I will do other ships if you would like._


	13. Hey! Wait A Minute!

Fred would have said that as a Weasley there wasn't much that could really shock him. Sure when Ava Love had said yes when he had asked her to Hogsmeade it had surprised him but not much could make his jaw drop. Of course the last year at Hogwarts hadn't been a normal one so far at all and it had been pretty jaw dropping but nothing shocked Fred as much as what happened to James after Olly's revelation. Now Fred, Sage along with him, had expected James to be miserable. They had expected to have to put up with a James more miserable than if he had lost a game of Quidditch. After all they were certain that he was in love with Olly and the fact that she was now dating Machali Caruso was bound to cause him all the pain and grief of a fourteen-year-old girl who had just had her heart broken. They couldn't have been more wrong and they found it positively scary.

James was cheerful. He was more than cheerful. He quite literally spent most of his days walking around with a stupid grin on his face or bouncing on the balls of his feet. This caused Fred and Sage to doubt their deep rooted assumptions that James was in love with Olly. Surely if he really was in love with her he wouldn't be so happy after she had just revealed that she was going on a date with another guy. Yet James' happy mood continued without a break and he didn't even seem mind when he caught sight of Olly snogging Mac in the corridors the night she was released from the hospital wing. Fred had thought that if there was anything that could have got to James it would have been that. Fred found it torture to even think about Ava snogging another guy. He had found it difficult enough not to punch Mac for snogging Olly. James hadn't even accompanied them to the "break her heart and we'll kill you" talk which was more than strange because if James loved her then surely he'd want to make sure that Mac knew he'd be dead if he hurt her. Even if James wasn't in love with Olly it was odd that he wouldn't go with them for that particular chat. Olly was one of his best friends after all and he was fiercely protective of her.

'I just don't understand it,' said Fred to Sage one afternoon as they were sitting in the common room by the fire watching James chat away happily to Olly who was trying to teach him about the Blood Replenishing Potion.

'What is it?' asked Sage immediately looking over at the essay in Fred's hand. 'What don't you understand?'

Fred rolled his eyes a little as Sage completely misread what he was saying.

'I don't understand why James is so damn happy,' he said glancing over at James and Olly again.

Sage frowned.

'No neither do I,' he admitted distracted from his own essay as he looked over to where James was beaming at Olly. 'It doesn't make sense that he would be this happy if he was in love with her. Maybe we were wrong.'

'I thought that as well,' said Fred frowning as he chewed on the end of his sugar quill, 'but the way he acted when Olly was in her coma would suggest something different.'

Sage looked at Fred for a long moment considering which made Fred squirm a little.

'What?' he asked uncomfortably.

'I'm just wondering,' said Sage slowly, 'where you managed to find observation skills over the summer.'

'Ha ha,' said Fred sarcastically. 'The stupid joke is getting old real fast.'

Sage grinned at him for a moment before he turned his attention back to his other best friend who was making Olly laugh at something he was saying. Sage found it puzzling that James was acting so cheerful. He honestly didn't seem to have a bad word to say about anyone including Olly's new boyfriend. Sage liked Machali Caruso. He was an all right guy really but that didn't mean he liked him dating Olly when he was so sure that James was in love with her.

'I was so sure he was in love with Olly,' Sage said scratching his chin.

'He is,' said a familiar voice causing the two boys to look round.

James' little sister, Lily, was curled up on the couch next to them clutching a rather large book and looking over at her brother. Her red hair was glinting in the light from the fireplace and she had a superior look on her face that they two boys knew meant that she knew something that they didn't.

'Well why is he so cheerful when he should be miserable because Olly's dating Caruso?' asked Fred.

'Come on you two,' said Lily rolling her eyes like it was plain obvious, 'you've known my brother since you were all born. Can you not think why James is acting so cheerful?'

Sage and Fred shook their head simultaneously. It was just plain puzzling to them why James was acting that way.

'He's putting on an act,' Lily told them in an exasperated tone. 'He's pretending that he's happy about it because he doesn't want it to hurt. James is in love with Olly as plainly as the grass is green but he doesn't want you two to know it and even more so he doesn't want Olly to guess either. He's acting so cheerful to stop himself hurting.'

'But we know anyway so why is he bothering to act in front of us?' asked Sage glancing back at James who was pointing something out to Olly in the book in front of them.

'Just trust me,' she said with a rather evil grin, 'James is miserable inside.'

Armed with Lily's certainty Sage and Fred decided to confront James on the matter later that night when they were up in their dorm room. They didn't want Olly to hear them and the dorm seemed like the best place for that chat even if Wood and Finnegan were going to be there. It wasn't like they had been oblivious to their previous attempts to get James to admit that he was in love with Olly. In fact the two of them were now also convinced that James harboured non-platonic feelings for her. Fred and Sage were sure that they would back them up.

So that night the three boys said goodnight to Olly and climbed the stairs to the dormitory. James still had a stupid grin on his face and it was really beginning to get on Fred's nerves. He would rather put up with an overly miserable James than with a James pretending to be cheerful when he was really miserable underneath. That was such a girl thing to do.

'So,' Sage began as soon as the door was shut behind them.

'So what?' asked James as he moved over to his bed and began to get changed.

'So what's with the overly cheerful act?' asked Fred sitting himself down on his own bed.

'What do you mean?' James said looking bemused.

'We mean this stupid act you've got on,' Sage explained as he took a seat on James' bed. 'We know that you are in love with Olly so there is no need to pretend to us that you are happy about her dating Caruso. We know that somewhere underneath all the stupid, happy grins that you are miserable inside.'

'Why would I be miserable about Olly and Caruso?' James asked looking between his two best friends. 'It's up to Olly who she dates and Caruso is a nice guy.'

'That's just it,' Fred exclaimed in frustration. 'You never think any guy that Olly dates is a nice guy. Even if you liked him before the moment he started dating Olly he became a jerk and that was when you were just friends.'

'We are just friends.'

'No you're not,' said Sage with a sigh. 'You are in love with her James. Please just admit it and save yourself the embarrassment of the whole school taking bets.'

'Sage and I could give pretty good odds on whether you marry and a bludger or Olly,' Fred told him. 'Right now I think most of the school would bet on you and Olly getting married.'

James didn't answer but just glared at the floor. Sage and Fred watched him careful looking for some signing that he was wavering in his resolve to remain cheerful. They didn't want him to put on an act. Sure they wanted to know, know for certain, that they were right about James being in love with Olly but it wasn't just about that. They didn't want James to have to hide things from them. He had never had secrets from them before and it didn't seem like a good time to start.

'Come on, mate,' said Fred quietly. 'Just tell us.'

James took a deep breath but didn't look up.

'Okay,' he said. 'I'm in love with Olly and it's killing me. Is that what you wanted to hear?'

He stood up abruptly and walked over to the window where he glared out over the dark grounds. It would be Christmas soon and the next weekend was the last Hogsmeade weekend before they went home for the holidays. James couldn't stand the thought of Olly introducing Caruso to her family or him having Christmas dinner at White Hall or Olly asking his grandparents if Caruso could come over to the Burrow on Boxing Day.

Behind him Sage and Fred exchanged triumphant but worried looks. Sage got up off the bed and went over to stand next to James at the window.

'I want nothing more than to break his nose,' James growled a little. 'I mean who does he think he is snogging Olly in the middle of the corridor like that as though she was some common whore?'

'Are you trying to tell us that if you were going out with Olly you wouldn't snog her in the middle of a corridor?' asked Fred with a snigger.

James blushed a little.

'Well that's different,' said James. 'I love her. I'm not just trying to get into her knickers.'

'Who is saying that Caruso is just trying to get into Olly's knickers?' asked Sage with a bemused expression.

'Who isn't trying to get into Olly's knickers?' asked Fred rolling his eyes.

'Well you and me for a start,' said Sage, 'most of your family and Malfoy considering that we're sure he's trying to get into Rose's knickers.'

'Can we stop talking about people trying to get into Olly's knickers?' asked James.

'Hey mate you brought it up.'

James laughed a little.

'I suppose I did.'

Silence fell over them for a few minutes as James continued to stare out the window trying not to see the image of Olly dancing around in his head. Unfortunately it was replaced with the image of Olly snogging Caruso. It made James grind his teeth together in anger. He turned from the window and went back over to his bed which he flung himself on closing his eyes. He had been acting so cheerful so as to push out all his negative thoughts and it had been working. Now he had let misery get to him it seemed to engulf him.

'You need to tell her,' said Sage suddenly and James opened his eyes to see Sage standing over him. 'I'm sure she loves you too James.'

James shook his head.

'You're not sure at all that Olly loves me as anything more than a friend,' James told them. 'I can't tell her that I'm in love with her. It would just be awkward if she didn't love me back and anyway she really likes Caruso. She was telling me about it earlier.'

He sighed a little. He had found it difficult to listen to Olly saying that she was so surprised and pleased that Caruso had asked her out. He was one of the best looking blokes she had ever seen, she had said and that had felt a little bit like a poisoned dart striking him in the heart. He had remained cheerful though telling Olly that he was an all right guy and that he hoped that he treated her right. It was even worse when she had hugged him and thanked him for being so laid back about it.

'What are you going to do about Hogsmeade?' asked Fred eventually.

James shrugged.

'I don't know.'

The Hogsmeade weekend was upon them before they knew it and James woke up feeling thoroughly miserably as he looked forward to the first time of not going to Hogsmeade with his three best friends. Sage would be with Roxanne, Fred would be making Ava laugh and Caruso would be charming Olly. James was wondering whether he should even bother going. After all it wasn't like he had a date and he would just end up wandering around Hogsmeade on his own like an idiot. Fred had offered for him to tag along with him and Ava but James was determined not to be a third wheel on his date.

So as the others departed the common room James sat down by the fire and stared at the flames. The common room was full of first and second years but the rest of the Gryffindor students had already departed for Hogsmeade. He couldn't stand it having to sit there and listen to all the youngsters messing around so he decided to go for a walk.

He wandered through the corridors feeling thoroughly sorry for himself. He should have told Olly that he was in love with her as soon as he had known about it but then if she didn't love him back it would have been awkward. Still he was finding it very difficult to just accept that she was on a date with someone else. What if she decided to get married to Caruso? James couldn't stand the idea of being there at Olly's wedding watching her smile at Caruso as she said "I do". There was nothing he could do about it though except tell her that he loved her but he didn't know if he was brave enough.

'Hey Rose, Hey Scorpius,' he said distracted as he passed a snogging couple in one of the corridors. He just didn't understand how he was going to ... Hey wait a moment!

He turned round to see his little cousin Rose bright red in the face clutched in Scorpius Malfoy's arms. Scorpius was also a little pink and they were both staring at James in horror as he stared back in disbelief. He blinked but the couple before him didn't disappear and instead Rose's blush seemed to intensify.

'When in the name of Merlin did this happen?' James practically shouted when he had recovered himself.

Neither Rose nor Scorpius answered. In fact they seemed like they had permanently frozen in place. James looked between the two of them feeling rather amused and triumphant but under that the feeling of protectiveness was welling inside him.

'Malfoy,' he said in a low voice curling his hands into fists, 'you'd better run.'

Scorpius took one look at James and decided that his assertion was correct. He gave Rose a quick peck on the cheek and then bolted down the corridor, robes flying out behind him. James waited until he had turned the corner before he relaxed his hands and then began to laugh. Rose just stood there staring at him.

'We so knew that was going to happen,' James said once he had calmed down a bit.

'You're not going to kill him, are you?' Rose asked hesitantly her blush beginning to subside.

James rolled his eyes.

'I won't kill him unless he hurts you, Rose,' he told her. 'Of course he will need the usual talk that we like to give to boyfriends but I suppose I'd better ask Hugo if we would like to do the honours since you are his sister.'

'Don't tell anyone,' she said earnestly. 'It's a secret just now. I haven't even told Al yet.'

'Well you'd better tell him,' James said with an evil grin on his face, 'because I have to tell people why I'm closing the betting pool. Uncle Ron is going to flip.'

Rose paled slightly.

'Please don't tell dad,' she pleaded.

'I won't tell him,' he said with a grin, 'but his reaction is going to be classic. I doubt Scorpius' parents are going to be thrilled about it, their precious pureblood son dating the daughter of Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger.'

Rose grimaced a little as she pushed her red curls back from her face. James looked at her for a moment. She looked nervous and her eyes were darting from the window to him constantly. He wondered briefly how it had happened but decided that there was no point in asking since she was unlikely to tell him.

'Are you going to tell my parents?' she asked.

'Rose, I'm your cousin,' he said patiently. 'You've known me for year. Am I the kind of person that tells tales?'

'No,' she replied with a smile when she realised that he wouldn't tell her parents.

'How are you going to tell them?' he asked curiously.

'I thought I'd just tell them at the end of term,' Rose said quietly. 'I suppose I could do it over the holidays. I could just slip it into the conversation.'

'I'd like to see that escape Uncle Ron's attention,' said James with a grin. 'Remember you have till the end of the day to tell Al or else he'll be finding out from someone else.'

'Thanks James.'

Rose turned to leave when James thought of something else.

'Where is Al anyway?' he called after her.

Rose turned round and grinned mischievously.

'Oh he's in Hogsmeade on a date,' she told him.

'With who?'

'Alice. Who else?'

When Fred, Olly and Sage arrived back at the common room, Sage's arm wrapped around Roxanne's shoulders, they were surprised to find an oddly cheerful James sitting on the couch literally beaming at them. Fred and Sage exchanged a look of horror. Surely after their talk last night James wasn't going to continue his extremely happy facade.

'Did you have a nice time?' he asked them the grin not moving from his face as Olly, Fred and Sage all sat down around him nodding. 'Well I have some rather interesting news for you all.'

* * *

_Okay well that chapter offically sucked.  
But I had to do something.  
After today I'm working eight days in a row so won't have much time for writing.  
I'm thinking that the next chapter will be home for Christmas.  
What do you think?  
Then we can maybe have some James/Olly.  
Some Sage/Roxanne.  
Then back to school where Olly can find out who her brother is.  
After that I'm think of having her mother and father meeting again.  
Please let me know what you think.  
&& what you would like the outcome to be._

_Kerr X._


	14. Once I'd Like A Quiet Family Christmas

_dedicated to vicky199416_

* * *

_Olly. Olly. Olly. OllyOlly. OllyOlly. OllyOllyOlly._

James didn't seem to have room for anything else in his head except Olly and what made it harder was that she was staying at his for Christmas since her mother was away again. He was with her every moment of the day and she seemed to be literally haunting his dreams. Her name seemed to be an incessant chant in his head and he was finding it difficult to concentrate on anything that she said. He had taken to noticing things about her that he hadn't before like the scar behind her ear or the one freckle she had that was on her lip or the way she rubbed her fingertips together when she was thinking about something. Having been her best friend for seventeen years he had thought he would have noticed these things sooner. He obviously hadn't been paying such close attention as he had been doing recently. He was pleased when she didn't ask if Caruso could come over on Christmas day. The journey home on the Hogwarts Express for the Christmas holidays had been torture when Caruso had come to say goodbye to Olly. James had tried not to glare when he had kissed her but had failed miserably and was glad to find that Fred and Sage had also been glaring at him. Their protective glares over the years came in handy as the perfect disguise.

"You are going to burn a hole in her head, mate," said the familiar voice of his Uncle Charlie in his ear, startling him slightly. He broke out of his reverie to find that he had been staring at Olly across the table.

It was Christmas day and the entire family were at The Burrow having Christmas dinner. Thanks to an extension charm, courtesy of his Aunt Hermione, they were all sitting quite comfortably round the dining table. The food was delicious as always but James had barely touched his plate preferring to stare at Olly who was telling his dad and Uncle Ron about the dangers of Animagi transformations.

"You'd better start eating before mum catches sight of your plate," Charlie told him with a grin.

James nodded before listlessly scooping some carrots into his mouth.

"So when did you realise?" Charlie asked keeping his voice low.

"Realise what?" asked James as he chewed.

"That you were in love with Olly."

James fought the shock trying not to spray carrots everywhere because that certainly would have drawn attention to him.

"I'm not in love with her," James told him in a forceful whisper the moment he had swallowed the carrots.

"Sure you're not," said Charlie rolling his eyes, "and the Chudley Cannons will finish top of the league this year."

James could feel the heat flooding to his face.

"Look you don't need to lie to me," Charlie told him with a smile, "because it's not like I'll tell anyone except maybe the dragons."

Charlie chuckled a little and James grinned, the uncomfortable moment easing away.

"You're probably annoyed about her dating that other bloke," Charlie continued.

"Just a bit," James told him shovelling some turkey into his mouth and trying not to picture Caruso kissing Olly. Every time he thought about it he really felt like strangle the guy. It wasn't that idea was unappealing just that James didn't think that Olly would be very happy with him if he murdered her boyfriend.

"That's never easy," he replied sympathetically, "especially when you don't know how they feel about you. It's a lot easier if they hate you because at least then you know you have absolutely no chance at all."

Charlie and James lapsed into thoughtful silence for a moment and James watched Olly surreptitiously as she laughed with his dad whilst his Uncle Ron just looked completely confused which made James laugh a little.

"I asked her mother to marry me once, you know," Charlie confided him quietly and James spluttered a little, his attention completely diverted. He just managed not to let his jaw drop. Charlie had asked Kerr to marry him? When did that happen?

"Did I hear the words marry and me come out of your mouth there, Charlie," George said loudly in a joking tone bringing everyone's attention to them. "Its incest, you know, proposing to your nephew like that."

James could see the trademark Weasley blush rushing up Charlie's ears and he knew immediately that Charlie had never told anyone, he had never wanted anyone to know.

"Are you getting married, Charlie?" asked James' grandmother Molly from down the table her eyes sparkling with intrigue and delight.

"No," Charlie responded firmly clearing his throat.

"Then why did I hear the words marry me come out of your mouth just then?" probed George.

James felt terribly uncomfortable for his Uncle but he couldn't think of anything that would divert everyone's attention.

"I was telling James that I once asked a woman to marry me," Charlie told the family who were all watching him with intrigued expressions. James could sense the tension from his Uncle whose muscles were practically quivering as though in anticipation of a blow.

"Who?" asked Molly perplexed.

"Yeah, which fool turned down a Weasley?" asked George in a teasing tone.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Molly continued in a hurt tone. "Who was it Charlie?"

The tension seemed to keep mounting and James felt as though he was sweating buckets. He glanced at Olly who also looked uncomfortable and from the look in her eyes he knew that she already knew that Charlie had proposed to her mother. Kerr and Charlie had always been quite close. He threw a pleading glance in Fred's direction hoping that he could come up with a suitable distraction. Luckily, Fred seemed to interpret his glance correctly and immediately frowned.

"Look," said Bill from where he sat near his mother, "if Charlie doesn't want to tell us I don't think ..."

"As his mother," Molly cut across Bills, "I think I have a right to know who he has been proposing to. Tell me, Charlie."

"Molly," Arthur said softly from the opposite end of the table but he went ignored.

"Come on, Charlie, tell us," piped up Ron.

James glanced at his Uncle whose face was almost as red as his hair. He gave him an apologetic look and then glanced at Fred again who seemed to be racking his brain for anything he could do. He shook his head at James when he came up empty.

"Charlie," said Molly's voice warningly.

James heard his Uncle sigh slightly in defeat.

"It was Kerr," he told them reluctantly. "I once asked Kerr to marry me."

The silence was deafening and James felt horrified as he glanced at Olly. She was staring at his Uncle with heartfelt sympathy in her eyes and when he looked at Charlie his Uncle was also looking at her. The rest of the family were looking between the two of them and James could tell what they were all wondering but Charlie wasn't Olly's father.

Although it was only a couple of seconds the silence seemed to last forever to James until Lily's familiar voice piped up.

"Rose is dating Scorpius," she shouted causing Rose to immediately flush red.

"Don't be daft, Lily," said Ron as the rest of the family frowned their attention successfully diverted for a moment.

"Actually, dad," said Rose getting to her feet hesitantly, her face almost as red as a tomato, "I am dating Scorpius."

"Excuse me," said Ron looking at his daughter with a bemused expression as the rest of the family held their breath in anticipation.

"I am dating Scorpius Malfoy."

There was silence for a heartbeat.

"You WHAT?" erupted Ron. "That foul, evil git! He ... you ... dating ... You're too young to be dating!"

James could hear the words "pay up" being whispered around the table and he couldn't help but grin.

"I am not," Rose retorted. "Al's got a girlfriend and Fred and Hugo."

"Yes but they're boys," spluttered Ron.

"Well Lucy and Roxanne both have boyfriends too," Rose continued.

"WHAT?" yelped George and Percy together.

"Yes but they're not dating ... a ... a ..."

"A Malfoy!" Rose shouted. "Say it, dad. It's not me having a boyfriend that's the problem it's that he's a Malfoy."

Ron turned scarlet and James could see his Aunt Hermione shaking her head slowly in disbelief.

"Well, yes," Ron admitted loudly. "His father was a Death Eater who tried to kill me, your mother and your Uncle Harry not to mention Dumbledore."

"Scorpius isn't like that. Uncle Harry likes him."

"Like father, like son, Rosie. You're forbidden to date him."

"You can't stop me. I'm sixteen. I'm not a child anymore."

With that Rose stormed out of the room slamming the door shut behind her leaving Ron staring after her. The whole family was silent and James could hardly hear them breathing.

"Well, you could have handled that better," Hermione told Ron in an exasperated tone.

"What ... I ... she ... Malfoy ..."

"No excuses, Ronald. Go after her."

Ron looked defeated as he got to his feet and followed Rose out of the room with Hermione hot on his heels. The rest of the family watched them leave still all a bit stunned by the argument.

"Just for once I'd like a nice, quiet family Christmas," James could hear his grandmother muttering to herself.

"Lucy, who is this boy?" Percy immediately started on his youngest daughter.

"It's just Lorcan, dad," Lucy told him completely unbothered as she continued to eat, "no one to worry about."

"No one to worry about," Percy said stoutly. "The boy is three years older than you and isn't Molly dating his brother?"

"Yes I am," put in Molly brightly knowing that her father wasn't Lysander's biggest fan.

"He's probably just as much trouble as his brother then," Percy surmised.

"No," Lucy told him indignantly. "Just because they're twins doesn't mean they're the same. Lorcan and Lysander are nothing alike."

That was the understatement of the century, thought James. He had known the Scamander twins since he had been born and at Hogwarts they were both thought of very differently. Lorcan was the crazy one and Lysander was the dark one, Lorcan was the nice one and Lysander was the violent one. James knew them both and liked them both. Lysander constantly ended up in detention for duelling or fighting because he felt the need to protect Lorcan from people teasing him. James understood where he was coming from but the brotherly devotion between the two was something he couldn't really comprehend.

"But he's three years older than you," Percy continued berating his daughter. "Do you have any idea what boys his age want with young girls like you?"

George seemed to think Percy had come up with a suitable point because he turned his attention to Roxanne.

"That's something I want to discuss with you actually, Roxy," he said.

"Dad," Roxanne protested embarrassed.

"No, you need to listen to me. Young men are like predators," George began his ears beginning to go red, a sure sign that he was uncomfortable with the subject.

"George," Angelina said also looking rather uncomfortable.

"No Ange let me get it out," George told her before turning his attention back to his daughter. "Young men are like predators and beautiful young girls like you, well, you are their prey."

"Dad I'm dating Sage."

George stopped for a moment bewildered.

"Sage?" he asked.

"As in Sage Longbottom."

Realisation dawned on George's face and James had to stifle the urge to laugh.

"Oh," he said. "I'll just shut up then."

George looked back at Percy who had ceased his "talk" with Lucy to listen to what George had been saying.

"Don't think that lets you off, young lady," Percy warned Lucy.

"Dad," said Lucy firmly, "you know how you didn't want Molly to date Lysander?"

"Of course I do," Percy replied with a scowl.

"Well you didn't manage to stop them dating so you aren't going to stop me."

"Now you listen here ..." Percy began angrily.

"Percy, leave it," said Audrey calmly putting a restraining hand on his arm. "It's Christmas."

"Hey everyone," called Fred's voice suddenly, "it's snowing."

That successfully broke up the arguments and soon enough everyone was crowded at a window to look out at the tiny, dancing snowflakes twirling elegantly down from the sky.

As soon as dinner was finished and the table had been cleared James escaped upstairs to his Uncle Ron's old room with Olly and Fred feeling extremely full. They climbed the stairs laughing at Ron's reaction to Rose dating Scorpius and George's attempt to warn Roxanne about what young boys had no their minds that was more than kisses and holding hands. They fell into Ron's old room practically crying with laughter and when they finally calmed down Fred turned to Olly.

"Did you know Uncle Charlie had asked your mum to marry him?" he asked seriously.

"Yeah I knew," Olly told them with a small smile. "It was years ago when we were about five or six. My mum said no obviously but I don't think Charlie was in love with her. I think he just thought it would be better for my mum and me to have a man around. He would have moved back from Romania to help mum raise me and provide my mum with security of knowing that I was well looked after when she was away."

James frowned a little. He wasn't certain that Olly's assessment was correct. From the conversation that he had been having with his Uncle, James though it would be very likely that Charlie had been in love with Kerr but he didn't voice his opinion. He didn't want Olly to know what he had been discussing with Charlie at the time.

"I felt so bad when everyone kept going on at him about it," Olly continued. "They both made a promise never to tell anyone. They made me promise too."

"You could tell the moment he said it what everyone was thinking," James said remembering the eyes flickering between Olly and Charlie trying to find some form of resemblance.

"That's why they never wanted anyone to know," Olly explained. "Everyone would automatically assume that Charlie was my dad."

"Well you can see why people would jump to that conclusion," Fred said. "I mean I would have thought that too if we didn't already know that you have a twin brother, a Slytherin twin brother at that."

Olly punched Fred in the arm playfully and then laughed when he pounced on her. James just watched them from where he was sitting a tight feeling in his chest. He didn't want this to hurt so much. He wanted everything to be less complicated. He supposed that life never really worked out that way. Merlin, how he wished it did. He would hold Olly in his arms and tell her he loved her. When had he become so soft?

"You know I thought Uncle Ron was going to quite literally explode he was so red," Fred said pulling James back from his thoughts. "It was the way Lily just stood up and shouted it out. Uncle Ron just thought she was pulling his leg. Rosie was brave though."

"It was just so Lily to be honest," Olly laughed. "She's fearless."

"She's also really protective of Uncle Charlie," James added, "but it was brave of Rose to stand up and just tell Uncle Ron. I would not have liked to do that at all but then again I suppose I wouldn't be dating Scorpius Malfoy."

"Not unless there is something you aren't telling us, James," Olly joked with a large grin spread across her face.

"Ha ha," James responded sarcastically.

"Merlin, it's freezing in here," said Fred suddenly getting to his feet and moving towards the window that was open slightly. "Who leaves a window open in the winter?"

He reached to close the window and looked down into the garden to see Ava walking up to the front door with her father Taylor beside her. He turned back into the room with a huge grin on his face which made James roll his eyes and Olly laugh a little.

"Sorry amigos," he said, "but I have to go."

Fred dived out of the room leaving James and Olly alone together.

"Ava will be here then," said Olly with a grin.

"Poor soul," said James sympathetically. "I'd hate to be the first to arrive to a Weasley Christmas party to be honest."

"Oh it's not so bad," said Olly shrugging. "I don't mind so much and I'm sure Ava is used to it what with having Christmas at White Hall usually."

"Do you want to go down and see Taylor and Ava?" James asked her feeling a little awkward. He hadn't been alone with Olly since she had started dating Caruso and for some reason the realisation made him feel uncomfortable.

"No, it's all right," Olly told him. "It's probably best to leave her and Fred to it for a bit."

"Yeah," James agreed.

The lapsed into silence and James felt even more uncomfortable with the strained atmosphere around them. They had been best friends for seventeen years surely they weren't falling apart just because he had fallen for her. He didn't like the idea.

"So Caruso," James ventured.

"What about him?" asked Olly frowning slightly.

"Just wondering why you didn't invite him over for Christmas," James told her honestly.

Olly shrugged.

"I'm already a guest as it is," she said, "and it's not like I'm one of these girls who can't go two weeks with you seeing their boyfriend."

"No, of course, you're not," James agreed quickly.

The silence enveloped them again and James glanced out the window at the still falling snowflakes some of which had become stuck to the window pane. They had started piling up in the corners of the panes making it look like a window for a storybook.

"Oh look," said Olly suddenly, "mistletoe."

James looked up to where Olly was pointing and sure enough, directly above their heads, was mistletoe tied with a pretty red bow. James frowned. What an odd place to hang mistletoe. Surely it would have made more sense to hang it downstairs where everyone would be.

"That's probably Lucy and Lily," James explained. "They were over here a couple of days ago helping gran to decorate."

"Well, it's directly over us," Olly pointed out.

James blushed when he realised what she meant. Mistletoe, the kissing Christmas plant, was above their heads which meant they would have to kiss. James gulped a little at the thought. He supposed he could kiss Olly just as a friend but he didn't think that his complicated feeling would let him ever forget about it.

"Do you ... do you want me to kiss you?" James asked Olly hesitantly.

Olly stared at him for a moment and James could feel his ears turn hot with embarrassment.

"Do you want to kiss me?" Olly seemed to almost breathe the words.

"Well," James said slowly, "it's is mistletoe."

"Okay then," Olly agreed softly edging towards him slightly until her thigh was pressed against his and James could feel the warmth of her skin through to layers of denim. He looked at her and could see that she was a little pink around the face. Olly rarely blushed.

His eyes swept her face taking in his tumbling black hair and her anxious blue eyes. Her lips were slightly parted and he could feel his heart racing in his chest as he leaned towards her. He saw her eyes slide shut and he closed his too.

As their lips touched he felt as though he had been struck with a lightning bolt. Her lips were soft and smooth as she kissed him back. He could taste gravy on her tongue and something unexplained was surging through him. He began to kiss her harder and he wrapped his arms around her waist holding her tight to him. She didn't try to hold back. She seemed to mould her body to his meeting his kiss with equal force and he could feel her hands on his neck slowly moving towards his hair. He could feel the heat of her body through his clothes and lust was rising up within him as he continued with the pressure of his kiss which bore her back onto the bed they were sitting on. She nipped his lip a little with her teeth which surprised him slightly but not enough to stop kissing her.

All he recognised in his head were his feelings of elatedness and lust. Her body was responding to him in equal measure and it delighted him. He had never thought that this would happen but it was happening. He was kissing Olly and she was kissing him back. He hips seemed to jar with his own as he removed one of his arms from around her waist and slipped it down until it was resting on her hip. His fingertips made contact him her skin and she seemed to shiver in his arms. Never in his life had he felt this way.

"Olly, I love you," he gasped slightly breaking the kiss briefly.

"James, I love you too," she breathed back.

* * *

_Okay so here it is.  
The Long awaited Fourteenth chapter.  
It's dedicated to vicky199416 for her  
unwavering support && amazing ideas.  
I am so sorry it took so long  
But as you can see it's a masterpiece.  
I absolutely adored writing this chapter.  
Still it's not about what I think.  
It's about what you think.  
So please review and tell me what's in your head.  
After all reviews are like my jelly tots._

_Kerr X._


	15. You Are A Nutter!

_dedicated to __Sweetie_Cherrie __& aliben_

* * *

What James had predicted happened the very next day. Things were awkward between him and Olly. So awkward in fact, that when the Longbottoms had arrived for Boxing Day lunch Olly had asked if she could spend a few days with them. James didn't think he had ever felt so embarrassed in his entire life that he could remember. It felt as though his face was constantly on fire and couldn't bear to even look at Olly. It seemed like she was constantly giving him the cold shoulder and he felt as though he was freezing with it. She didn't look at him and she barely acknowledged him. James couldn't believe that he had told her that he loved her but she had said that she loved him back. Surely if she had meant it then it wouldn't be this awkward. He felt at a loss. He had ruined his relationship with his best friend. How could anything go back to normal now? It couldn't. He was certain of that. They would both be haunted by what had happened between them. At least he didn't have a partner to feel guilty about unlike Olly. He felt so foolish. He should have kept his stupid feeling to himself. He should have focused on overcoming them rather than giving into them and costing him Olly's friendship.

He was sure his family had noticed the lack of goodbye between them when Olly had left with the Longbottoms. She had assured his parents that she would be back for New Year's Eve to celebrate with them. James knew that would be another awkward night but at least Fred and Sage would be there to ease the tension.

James holed himself up in his room for the remaining four days between Boxing Day and New Year's Eve. He hated the week between Christmas and New Year. It was like a rather long waiting period between the two biggest parties of the year. How he wished he could skip over the next few month so he didn't have to go through the awkwardness of being at Hogwarts with Olly. He felt like kicking himself. What had he been thinking? Olly was beautiful and intelligent what on earth would she gain from him? Sure he was a great friend but with a whole string of exes he was hardly the perfect boyfriend material. Why would she have said that she loved him though? Was it to make him feel better because it was only making him feel more like an idiot? Something he didn't want to feel. He couldn't avoid it though because he had been foolish to believe for one moment that Olly could love him like he loved her.

"You'll drive yourself crazy shutting yourself away like this," said a calm voice from the doorway.

James looked up from where he was sitting on his bed to see Albus standing with his hands in his pockets leaning against the door frame. He just grunted in response and Albus moved further into the room to stand opposite him.

"You're not doing yourself any good hiding up here, y'know," Al told him.

"Go away Al," James said despondently.

"Not until you stop acting like a twelve-year-old girl."

James went back to staring at the floor. Albus sighed before he moved over to the bed and sat down next to his brother.

"What's wrong?" he asked James who didn't bother to reply. He was not about to start discussing what had happened between him and Olly on Christmas Day.

"You might as well tell me," Al prodded, "or next thing you know mum and dad will be up here trying to find out what's bothering you because, trust me, they have noticed. I haven't seen you this miserable since Olly was in her coma."

James winced slightly at Al's mention of Olly.

"Lily was right then," Al said after a moment having noticed James' wince.

"Lily was right about what?" asked James his head snapping up to look at Albus.

"She said that your bad mood was something to do with Olly. What happened?"

James remained silent. He didn't like the idea of Albus and Lily discussing him behind his back so he wasn't going to give them anymore fuel. It was no one's business what had happened between him and Olly. In fact, it was Lily's fault for hanging to stupid mistletoe in Uncle Ron's old room.

"If you don't tell me I'm going to have to call for back-up," Al threatened him but James still didn't respond so Al shouted,

"Lily!"

James looked up as his little sister came into the room her red hair flying. She had a sly, cat-like smile on her face as she stopped opposite her two brothers.

"Pay up, Al," Lily said holding out her hand. James watched wearily as Al grumbled slightly then pulled his hand out of his pocket and deposited five galleons into Lily's outstretched palm.

"That's the last bet I'm ever going to make with you," Al griped.

"You say that every time," Lily replied with a grin as she pocketed the money. "Now James, tell us what happened between you and Olly?"

James sighed. He was sick of this. He wished they would just go away and leave him alone.

"Nothing," he said trying to ignore the tingling feeling in his hands as he remembered how he clutched Olly to him and how her skin felt on his as she moved underneath him. The memory made him feel as though he was breaking out into a cold sweat.

"You've always been a rubbish liar," Lily reclaimed his attention folding her arms across her chest. "If "nothing" happened then why didn't you say goodbye to her when she left."

"She didn't say goodbye either," James retorted angrily. He did not need his younger siblings analysing his love life and he did not want them trying to give him advice on things that they just didn't understand. Olly was his best friend and he had ruined it.

"She tried to," Lily told him in a forceful manner, "but you just turned your back on her as though she was invisible."

"She hadn't spoken to me all day," James tried to defend himself.

"That's because you wouldn't even look at her. I wouldn't talk to you either if you wouldn't look at me all day. If you guys had a fight then Olly's bound to be upset but you're her best friend. She'd have forgiven you. You shouldn't keep a grudge against her."

"We didn't have a fight," James muttered his eyes now back on the floor. Lily couldn't understand. He had screwed up so badly. It was so much worse than if he and Olly had just had a fight.

"Then why is Olly staying with Sage whilst you mope up here in your room? Asked Lily and, out of the corner of his eye James saw her exchange a look with Albus. He didn't bother to enquire about the look.

"Lily, please, I really don't want to talk about this," James practically begged looking up at her but he could tell that his plead was useless. Lily had that same determination in her eyes that his mother and grandmother had when they were resolved to get to the bottom of something.

"Come on, James," encouraged Albus quietly. "We're family and you're starting to worry mum and dad. They think you're having "mood swings" or something of the sort."

James huffed a sigh. Why did he always seem to get himself into these predicaments? He should have just pretended like there was nothing wrong just like when Olly had first started dating Caruso. Merlin, he couldn't even think his name without feeling angry and wanting to growl under his breath.

"Look, James," said Lily in a threatening tone, "if you don't tell us what happened I'm going to owl Olly and tell her that you're in love with her."

James hung his head.

"She already knows," he told them dispiritedly.

"She what?" Al and Lily practically shouted together in surprise.

"That's why she is staying with Sage," he explained in a dejected tone. "I told her on Christmas Day and now things are bloody awkward."

"How did that happen?" asked Al astounded.

"Someone," James glared pointedly at Lily, "had hung mistletoe in Uncle Ron's old room and we were in there, sitting right underneath her. So I kissed and I told her that I loved her."

"What did she say to that?" asked Lily not at all sorry about putting the mistletoe in Ron's old room.

James sighed. He didn't want to tell them. The memory of Christmas Day was so vivid. It was almost as though he could feel Olly's hands in his hair, her breath against his neck and the heat of her body pressed against his own. He could practically smell her shampoo. He had to tell them though or else Lily would probably torture it out of him. He sighed.

"She said she loved me too."

James could almost hear the shock before he even looked up at his siblings. Sure enough both of their jaws had dropped open and they looked completely confused.

"So why is she staying at Sage whilst you are holed up here being miserable?" asked Lily her brown creasing into a puzzled frown.

"Because it's too awkward and she only said she loved me to stop me being embarrassed," James said miserably.

"That doesn't sound like Olly," said Albus scratching his head.

"Al's right, you know James," Lily agreed. "That's not the sort of thing Olly would do."

James looked between them despondently.

"She'll be here tomorrow," said Al. "Maybe you should try to talk to her about it."

"I don't want to talk to her about it," James groaned. He wished the two of them would just leave him alone so he could wallow in self pity in peace. "It's far too awkward just like I knew it would be. Now please just leave me alone."

Al looked at Lily who jerked her head in the direction of the door. Al got to his feet and followed his little sister out of James' room. At the door he paused and glanced back to where James was sitting staring once again at the floor.

"You know," said Al softly, "I think you should try to speak to Olly about it. After all, Alice was one of my best friends and I thought it would be really awkward but it's not. If you never speak to her about it you could be missing out on something brilliant."

With that Al left and James felt a little ashamed of himself as he looked up at the door where Al had been standing just a few moments ago. He had forgotten than Al had been in the exact same position that he was currently in. Still Al's situation was different. Alice hadn't had a boyfriend that she really liked. Alice wasn't Olly and when it came to dealing with Olly it was a whole other kettle of fish.

The next day was New Year's Eve. James couldn't quite believe how fast the previous four days had gone. He helped his family decorate the house and watched his mum cooking furiously in the kitchen. Al and Lily didn't bring up the subject of Olly again for which he was grateful. He couldn't get rid of the anxious feeling in his stomach and it was making him feel slightly sick. Olly was going to be there tonight and he had no idea how to act or what to say. Should he just pretend that nothing had happened or should he try and speak to her about it? It was going to be awkward whatever he did. He was also worried that she might bring Caruso along. That would make the evening even more awkward and he didn't think his parents would approve of a full scale duel going on in their living room. In fact, if Olly did bring Caruso James thought he would probably die. It would be the ultimate way of knowing that Olly definitely did not want him.

The Weasleys began arriving at nine o'clock. His gran, granddad and Uncle Charlie were the first to arrive followed promptly by Teddy and Victoire. By half past the living room was crowded with redheads all except George, Fred and Roxanne. James could see his Uncle Ron sitting on the couch looking quite tense with Hermione beside him a comforting hand on his arm. James looked for Rose who was standing by the fireplace so she had a clear line of sight to the front door. She looked nervous.

Poor, poor Scorpius, thought James.

It was going to be the first time Scorpius had met Ron since Ron had found out he was Rose's boyfriend. James was surprised that his parents had let him come or maybe they didn't know he was dating Rose. Still, at least he wasn't the only nervous person at this party.

"Hey, why the long face?" asked Fred's familiar voice and James turned to see his cousin stand beside him.

"When did you get here?" James asked in surprise. He was sitting on the stairs opposite the front door. There was no way he wouldn't have seen Fred come in.

"We came in the back door," Fred explained with a grin. "Dad let me apparate him here and Roxy was apparating mum but we both kind of missed the front garden. Still, the back garden wasn't that far off and nothing got left behind."

Fred puffed out his chest proud of himself.

"Well done, mate," James said seriously as Fred joined him on the stairs.

"So why are you staring at the door looking miserable?" Fred asked. "Is it anything to do with Sage wanting to kill you?"

James looked at Fred in surprise.

"What?"

"Well," Fred launched into the explanation, "Sage and Roxy went out yesterday. He picked her up after I'd left to go and see Ava but I was there when he dropped her off because he's such a gentlemen. He said that we, as in Sage and I, had to have a talk with you because you've been a jerk."

James looked at Fred disbelieving.

"Sage used the word jerk?"

"It's hard to believe I know," Fred said, "but he actually called you a jerk. He must be pissed at you. What have you done?"

James looked at his shiny black shoes miserably.

"I kissed Olly and told her I love her."

Fred stared at him.

"What did she say?" Fred asked.

James sighed.

"She said that she loves me too but now it's just awkward. She obviously regrets saying it. I think she just said it to make me feel better."

Fred frowned.

"But that ..."

"I know, I know," James interrupted him. "That doesn't sound like Olly. I've had the same thing from Al and Lily."

Luckily for James, Fred had the sense to shut up. The two of them sat in silence listening to the sounds of the family talking in the living room.

"What are you going to do?" Fred asked after a few minutes. James shrugged.

"I don't know," he said honestly. "Al thinks I should talk to her about it but I really don't know what to say."

Just then the front door opened and James looked up to see Neville coming in through the door with Hannah followed by Sage and Alice. James looked for Olly but she was nowhere to be seen. His heart sank a little. Maybe she couldn't stand to see him at all.

"Hello you two," Neville said with a smile, "keeping out of trouble?"

"Yes, professor," said Fred with a grin which made Neville laugh as he followed his wife and daughter to the living room. James could hear them being greeted by the rest of the family but he wasn't really paying attention to that because Sage was staring at him with obvious anger in his eyes.

"You are a complete jerk, Potter," Sage practically spat but James didn't even register the use of his surname. He just wanted to know where Olly was.

"Where is she?" he asked numbly.

"What does it matter?" asked Sage furiously. "As if Olly hasn't been through enough this year but you have to make it harder. I know you bloody love her but that doesn't mean you have to act like a moron."

"Where is she?" James asked again barely hearing what Sage was shouting.

"Hey chill out, mate," Fred said a little alarmed at Sage's outburst.

"Chill out," repeated Sage incredulously. "I found Olly crying yesterday, yes crying, and, for the life of me, I couldn't get her to tell me what was wrong but I put two and two together. What did you say to her?"

James didn't answer and instead just looked at Sage as though he didn't know what was going on.

"Sage, mate," Fred decided to answer for him, "I think you've got the wrong end of the stick. James told Olly that he loves her."

Sage stared dumbstruck between Fred and James for a moment.

"Then why was Olly crying," asked Sage puzzled. "Unless Caruso was a twat when she broke up with him?"

"Olly broke up with Caruso?" asked James.

"Yeah," Sage confirmed, "two days ago."

"See mate," said Fred joyously clapping James on the shoulder, "she must have meant it."

"Meant what?" asked Sage.

"Olly told James that she loves him too," Fred told Sage excitedly.

"It doesn't mean that at all," countered James. "She might have just broken up with him because she felt guilty about kissing me."

"Hold on a moment," said Sage completely bewildered, "you two kissed?"

James nodded.

"And you told her you love her and she said that she loves you too?"

James nodded again.

"So why has Olly been staying at my house and why has she been crying? Of course, my idea of Caruso being a prick is plausible."

"Say it again," demanded Fred out of the blue.

"Say what again?" Sage asked.

"The word prick. It sounds so much worse coming out of your mouth."

"You are a nutter!"

"Ahem!"

There was a delicate cough from behind Sage and the three boys turned round to see Olly stand in the hallway having come in completely unnoticed. James felt like he had been knocked sideways. Olly was wearing the deep blue dress he had given her for Christmas which Lily had helped him pick out. It matched her eyes perfectly and her black hair was beautiful curled about her face. James didn't think she had ever looked so beautiful or so nervous. He immediately got to his feet and, moving over to her, he wrapped her in a hug. He could practically feel her trembling against his chest or maybe that was just him.

"Can we talk?" he whispered in her ear.

She looked at him and James couldn't believe how small she looked.

"Sure," she told him quietly.

Ignoring Sage and Fred she took his hands and led him through the house to the kitchen and out of the back door.

The sky was cloudless and the stars shone brightly beside the silvery glow of the moon. A layer of frost covered the ground but it wasn't cold due to the heat charm Ginny had cast earlier. Olly let go of his hand and turned to face him. He just looked at her for a moment. She looked so unsure but she met his gaze calmly and all of a sudden he was lost. He had absolutely no idea how to begin or even what to say to her.

"It was awkward, wasn't it?" she asked him seeming to realise his difficulty.

James nodded.

"Yeah, just a bit," he agreed.

"I mean we're best friends," she said as though she wasn't just talking to him but also to herself. "It would never work."

"Yeah," said James slowly. "Why wouldn't it?"

Olly stopped in her tracks and she just looked at him her mouth partly open. She looked so adorable with the gloss shining on her lips and her eyes dark with eyeliner. Her skin seemed to shimmer in the moonlight and James felt the urge to kiss her but he held himself back.

"Well didn't we just prove that we can't even kiss without it being awkward?" Olly said eventually.

"That's my fault really," James admitted kicking the ground a little embarrassed. "I think I was just so sure that it was going to be awkward that I couldn't bear to look at you the next day. I just thought you'd be embarrassed."

"Why would I be embarrassed?" Olly asked him with a puzzled look.

"Well, I thought you had said that you loved me so you didn't hurt my feelings."

"I wouldn't do that. Why did you think that?"

James could feel himself blushing.

"Well come on, Olly, look at you. You're beautiful. What would you want with me?"

Olly was quiet for a moment and James felt the nerves knot in his stomach even more.

"I didn't tell you I love you to spare your feelings," she said eventually. "I did feel awkward the next day because we're best friends. I've been there through all the girls you've ever dated and I didn't want to join the ranks of James Potter's exes. You've always been a part of my life and I really don't want to risk losing you."

"I understand that," James told her earnestly. "Ever since I realised that I was in love with you I knew that to tell you was to risk our friendship."

"When did you realise?" asked Olly slightly breathlessly.

James grimaced.

"When you were in that coma," he said, "but Sage and Fred worked it out a lot quicker than I did."

"Fred managed to work it out before you?" laughed Olly.

James chuckled a little.

"Yeah."

They both stared at the ground for a moment.

"You know when I kissed you at Christmas," James began hesitantly, "I really hadn't planned on ever telling you but then you said that you loved me too and everything seemed to slot into place. The next day though I felt so awkward because it was one of those "in the moment" things and I couldn't be sure that you had meant it. I didn't know what to say to you or where to even begin."

Olly sighed.

"I felt awkward too," she admitted, "because of Mac and it was just so clichéd. I hadn't even really realised that I was in love with you until you kissed me. I think that maybe I've been in love with you for a long time and just not been able to admit it to myself."

"That's when you realised?"

She nodded and the silence came over them once again. James dragged a hand through his hand making it stand up even worse than usual. He watched Olly as she looked at the ground biting her bottom lip.

"James," she whispered his name as she met his gaze, "I really want to make a go of this. I did feel awkward because even I wasn't sure if what I had told you was the truth. It was a bit overwhelming for me to realise at that moment that I was in love with you and that I had been for some time but I do love you."

James hadn't even realised he was holding his breath until he suddenly exhaled sharply.

"Olly, I love you too."

The urge to kiss her had never faded but it seemed to burn brighter than before and he reached for her. Before he knew it she was in his arms and her lips were crushed against his. It felt like his heart was soaring and he knew that if this was a fairytale then it would have started to snow. He clutched her to him greedily as though he needed her to survive.

Suddenly there was a loud cheer and they broke apart to see that the entire party were crowded at both the living room and kitchen windows witnessing their kiss. Right at the front of the crowd, with their noses practically pressed against the windows, were Sage and Fred obviously yelling themselves hoarse. James felt his face flush red but he couldn't get the stupid grin off his face and he looked at Olly to she was actually blushing as she laughed. He grabbed her in his arms laughing along with her.

"Well at least we don't have to tell the family," he whispered before he kissed her again.

* * *

_So guys what did you think?  
You know you're opinions are the ones that matter.  
Of course I think it's awesome.  
I wrote it.  
I'm supposed to.  
Dedicated equally to Sweetie_Cherrie & aliben  
Because they both adore JamesOlly.  
I hope you are all pleased because it is a few days earlier than expected.  
Reviews are the choclate chips in the cookie of my life._

_Kerr X._

_P.S. I have a new poll on my page where you can vote on where you would like to see some fics on Olly's parents. I also have some spin off one shots you might be interest in including Stand There & Hear Me Cry - Olly's mum Kerr, Wonderbeam - SageRoxanne and Blinded - JamesOlly._


	16. I've Provided The Comic Relief

Going back to Hogwarts after the Christmas holidays was a strange ordeal. James had never noticed before the amount of girls that greeted him and asked him if he had had a good holiday. Now with Olly on his arm it felt strange and maybe a little wrong to be talking to all the girls who were quite obviously flirting with him. He was also quite aware of the disappointment on their faces when they noticed at he was holding Olly's hand. Still it wasn't like he was the only one with admirers. He noticed all the boys whose faces fell as they saw Olly clutching his hand and grinning like an idiot. He had spotted Machali Caruso as they had entered the Great Hall and for some reason he couldn't comprehend he felt sorry for him. Still it wasn't like he lacked admirers either.

"I really can't believe the amount of girls that have flirted with me today," said James with a sigh helping himself to some sausages. "I mean even Kaiya Zabini asked me how my holidays were and batted her eyelashes at me."

Olly laughed into her pumpkin juice or a moment causing James, Sage and Fred to look at her curiously. She ignored them for a moment wondering whether she should tell James or not. She supposed that it couldn't really hurt.

"I think Olly knows something we don't," said Fred with a grin.

"Really?" said Sage sarcastically. "What gave you that idea?"

"Oh the general laughing into her pumpkin juice, possibly the snorting," Fred replied evenly.

"I didn't snort," said Olly defensively.

"I know," Fred told her, "but I kind of wish you had. It would have been a hilarious thing to tease you about."

"You're crazy Fred," James stated for what seemed like the millionth time. Hardly a day went by in their lives that Fred didn't get called crazy or a nutter or clinically insane by one of them. Then again hardly a day went by without Fred making some crazy comment.

"Are you going to tell us what you were laughing about?" Sage asked Olly who was still grinning from ear to ear.

"Well, I thought it was rather obvious," Olly told the three of them, "but since none of you seem to have realised I might as well tell you. Kaiya Zabini is absolutely dying to get into James' pants. She's in love with the idea of "forbidden love" and thinks James is the ideal candidate."

"What?" asked James shocked. "Kaiya Zabini fancies me?"

"Yeah," confirmed Olly with a laugh, "that's why she hates me so much because we're best friends."

"She's going to hate you even more now," Sage warned her. "How did you find out that she likes James anyway? It's hardly like she trusts you with all her secrets."

"Well, I know you lot forget sometimes but I am a girl," Olly said jokingly. "Kaiya couldn't have been any more obvious if she tried. She was constantly flirting with James and going out of her way to talk to him. She checks her reflection in any surface possible if she sees James heading her way. That and Alex was telling me how she never seems to stop talking about you."

James frowned.

"Who is Alex?" he asked and got a punch from Olly in return.

"Flint. You really need to start learning my friends' names," she said. "I know you don't like most of the Slytherins but Alex and Eric are great. You know fine well that you would get on with them if you just gave them the time of day."

The three boys all exchanged looks that clearly showed their doubts. Olly just rolled her eyes. She knew for a fact that they would get on really well with Alex and Eric if they could just get past their prejudices against the Slytherins. Sure their parents weren't exactly every nice but Olly had never been one for judging people by their parents mistakes. Still it wasn't like it was just them that had an aversion to being friends. Alex and Eric seemed happy enough to be her friend but she knew that it would take some coaxing to get them to talk to James, Fred and Sage for longer than three seconds.

"I don't get it," she told them. "You're perfectly happy to accept Malfoy whose father was a complete menace to all your dads but you can't talk to Alex and Eric."

"We didn't take the first step with Malfoy," said Fred. "That was all Al's fault."

"You don't have to take the first step with Alex and Eric either," Olly reminded them. "I'm already friends with the both of them and anyway, you're going to have to get on with a Slytherin at one point because my twin brother is a Slytherin."

James smiled.

"Who is it going to be Eric Nott or Jacob Zabini?" he asked and then glanced over at the Slytherin table where Zabini was in deep conversation with Flint and Nott. James frowned as he looked at them. He really couldn't see either of them resembling Olly at all. Surely there had to be something that showed they were related.

"Do you think we should ask Flint about it?" said Sage with a frown. "It might be easier just to ask him since he's probably well aware of what is going on with one or other of his friends."

Olly chewed her bottom lip a little.

"I might ask Alex," she said hesitantly. "I mean it seems like the best way to solve the mystery but I might wait until my mum has sent another letter. If that doesn't give me more of a clue then I'll ask Alex about it."

"I just hope your brother doesn't expect you to be civil to Bletchley and Bole," Fred said.

"Yeah because that would ever happen," laughed James.

"Never in a thousand years," Olly agreed.

"Maybe one day our children will like their children," said Sage with a laugh.

The four of them laughed slightly.

"You know," began Olly hesitantly when their laughter had subsided, "I'm really quite worried about what will happen when I find my brother. I mean obviously there is a reason why my mother and father aren't together and they've said that they will answer all my questions but I don't know what is going to happen. I mean let's be honest, both Eric's dad and Zabini's dad are married and if they are my dad too then what am I going to do? It's not like we can be a family."

James put his arm round Olly comfortingly. He had been wondering about the same thing. There must have been a very good reason why Olly had to be separated from her brother and he couldn't see a happy outcome when she found him. He knew Olly wasn't naive enough to expect that everything would be all right once she had found out who her father was and he thought things were definitely going to get awkward when it came to her parents meeting again. After all, Neville had said that Olly's mum deliberately avoided taking her to King's Cross or picking her up because she couldn't stand to see her father again.

"Don't worry, Olly," said Fred calmly. "We'll work something out. After all, your father is hardly going to reject you if all the things he said in his letter are true."

"I know," Olly replied with a frown. "I just don't understand how this is going to work. I mean, what if I'm related to Zabini. I barely know him and it's not like I get on with Kaiya. Even if Eric is my brother it's awkward. I mean Eric's dad is married. I can hardly expect Mrs Nott or Mrs Zabini to take the news well."

"Olly, let's just find your brother and then worry about the rest of it later," James tried to comfort her. "You and your brother can discuss this and you'll both be out of Hogwarts by then. You'll probably have your own places. Your father and brother can visit you freely. It's not like you need to stay with your mum and he has to stay with your dad. I'm sure that's the reason your parents waited until your last year of Hogwarts before telling you anything about this."

Olly looked at him and James could see the worry in her eyes. He knew that she felt a little lost and it didn't help when Kerr was constantly going out of the country with work. He wished that Kerr had been there over Christmas. It would have given Olly the opportunity to sit down and discuss everything with her.

"James is right, Ol," put in Sage. "You don't need to worry. We'll have this all sorted out before you know it."

Olly smiled a little.

"Thanks guys," she said. "If it weren't for you three I'd probably have gone a little crazy by now."

"Don't mention it," said Fred with a wide grin.

"I think Olly meant me and James," said Sage in a joking tone. "What help have you been?"

"Hey," said Fred outraged. "I've provided the comic relief have I not?"

"Of course you have," Olly assured him with a chuckle.

When dinner was finished they left the hall to head back to Gryffindor tower. Olly slipped her hand into James and he gave it a squeeze immensely pleased that he no longer had to conceal how he felt about her. They waited in the entrance hall for Fred to speak to Ava and for Roxanne to finish speaking to Brett Wells. Sage stood next to Olly and James with a scowl on his face as he watched Brett and Roxanne talking.

"Don't worry Sage," said Olly. "We'll get Wells with that prank of Fred's."

"It's just the way he looks at her," Sage growled. "I mean I know she's beautiful but does he have to look at her like that? I just want to hex him into oblivion."

James grinned a little. He would have found it highly amusing if Sage had decided to hex Wells. It would be very un-Sage-like.

"I'm surprised Fred hasn't noticed," James commented as he glanced over at his cousin who was laughing with Ava about something. "Then again he's too besotted with Miss Love to give anything else a second thought."

The three of them laughed but Sage didn't take his eyes off Wells.

"Hey Longbottom," called a sneering voice from behind them, "is that your staring at your boyfriend?"

Sage, James and Olly knew who it was before they had even turned round and sure enough Bletchley and Bole were standing there with looks of utmost contempt of their faces. Olly just rolled her eyes. She was getting sick to death of the two idiots.

"Ignore them Sage," she said.

"That's right, Longbottom, ignore us," jeered Bole. "Go back to staring at your boyfriend."

"You're just jealous," James told them trying to keep control of his anger and tightening his grip on Olly's hand.

"Jealous? Us? What of exactly?" asked Bletchley his nostrils flaring.

"That Sage can get a girl and neither of you can," Olly told them in a superior tone. "Oh I'm sorry did you think that no one knew that you two are lovers."

Sage and James laughed along with Olly. James was quite glad that Olly wasn't resisting against his grasp. It was normally very difficult to stop her flying at the two Slytherins. She was usually just eager to punch them or curse them.

"No one asked you, you little bitch," hisses Bole.

"Was that supposed to be insulting?" asked Sage looking down his nose at the two. "It's hardly worth the breath."

James and Olly tried not to look surprised. Sage never got involved with the mudslinging. He normally just tried to keep everyone calm and ignore Bletchley and Bole. He had been doing it for the past six years. Maybe he'd finally had enough of taking their crap.

"Oooh look, Longbottom actually spoke," Bletchley laughed. "I thought you were too scared to open your mouth."

"Sage has got more courage in his little finger than you two have in your entire body," James told them fiercely.

"Obviously not as much as you Potter," Bole sneered. "It must take a lot of courage to date that."

He looked up and down Olly as though disgusted.

"What exactly do you mean by that?" growled Sage his fists bawling up and he squared his shoulders beside James.

"Well," said Bletchley, "like father like son, Potter. You obviously like dating sluts as well."

Olly had to grab hold of both James and Sage which she thought was a turn up for the books. Usually she was the one that needed restraining. Luckily Roxanne came up just then quickly assessing the situation and took a firm hold of Sage's arm.

"What is going on here?" she said in her best "Head Girl" voice.

"Oh look Longbottom," said Bole narrowing his eyes, "it's your boyfriend."

Olly let go of James. That was it. They were perfectly used to Bletchley and Bole having a go at them but they had no right to insult Roxanne like that. James and Olly flew at the two Slytherins while Roxanne held Sage back. However, someone else got there first. There was a streak of red hair as Fred dived in on top of Bole bring him to the ground with a crash. James glanced at Olly and she nodded before she punched Bletchley straight in the eye. James caught him before he hit the ground and restrained him by holding his hand behind his back. Olly took out her wand and hit Bletchley with the full body bind.

"Don't. You. Dare. Insult. My. Sister," Fred shouted backing up each word with a solid punch to Bole's stomach.

"Fred," Roxanne called to her brother, "get off him."

She mistakenly let go of Sage to grab Fred. She just managed to haul Fred off Bole before Sage took Fred's place. He grabbed Bole by the neck of his shirt and pulled him to his feet. Bole seemed to quiver in Sage's arm and everyone around seemed to freeze to watch Sage, wondering what he was going to do.

"Sage, don't," said Roxanne from where she was on the floor struggling with Fred who was desperate to resume his beating of Bole. "He's not worth it love."

Sage looked at Roxanne for a moment and then turned back to Bole. Everyone around seemed to take a sharp breath and then Sage spat in Bole's face.

"Get out of here," he growled and he dropped Bole to the floor. Bole scrambled to his feet as Olly released Bletchley from the full body bind. The two of them glanced around and then ran off up the stairs allowing Roxanne to release Fred.

"You both have detention," she shouted after them with much venom before Sage helped her to her feet. "Are you lot just incapable of behaving?"

"Hey Roxy, they started it," said James holding up his hands as though he had nothing to do with it.

"And they called you a bloke," said Fred picking himself up off the floor. "I'm just glad Ava had left for the common room when I heard that. You can't expect us to let him get away with it or else they'd constantly do it."

"It's hardly much of an insult though is it?" asked Roxy.

"No it's not," Sage told her wrapping her in his arms, "but that doesn't mean we aren't going to stand up for you."

"You're lucky none of the Professors came out," Roxanne told them.

"It's not luck," Olly told her with a mischievous grin, "I cast the muffliato charm so the Professors wouldn't hear anything."

"I didn't hear you do that," said James slipped his arm around Olly's waist.

"That's because she can do it silently," Sage told James. "She has been doing it since last year."

"Don't worry, mate," said Fred. "I never noticed either."

"Well that's hardly comforting," said James rolling his eyes at Fred. "You rarely notice anything."

Fred laughed and began to lead the way back to the Gryffindor common room. James took Olly's hand and Roxanne slipped her hand into Sage's smiling up at him. Sage felt rather proud of himself. He'd managed to stand up for Roxy without having to punch or hex anyone. He would have preferred not to spit either but he just had to work with what he had. He was also glad that there hadn't been anyone else in the entrance hall at the time. As a prefect he was supposed to set an example.

"I can't believe you spat at him, Sage," laughed Olly as they drew closer to the common room. "I don't think I have seen anything so degrading in my entire life. My mum would have been immensely proud of you if she had seen that."

"Your mum is proud of some very strange things, Ol," said Sage with a grin. "The last time she told me she was proud of me was because she caught me peeing outside in the back garden. Apparently it's the sign of becoming a man. I think I was nine at the time."

They all laughed except Roxanne who frowned as they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"What's up, Roxy?" asked Fred confused.

"What in the name of Merlin is the muffliato spell?"

* * *

_I know it's not the greatest  
but I quite like it.  
You know some normal teenage stuff.  
Also I got to show off Sage's protective side.  
So what do you think?  
I will of course begin working on the next chapter right away.  
Reviews are like the mustard on my hotdog. Delicious._

_Kerr X._

_P.S. I've written a one-shot about James and Olly if you are interested. It's called What She Doesn't Know._


	17. Are You Just Crazy All The Time?

Life back at school settled into being relatively normal for the first couple of weeks. With their Newts coming up James, Fred, Sage and Olly found that their workload had increased over the holidays. Since Olly's mum wasn't back in the country yet there were no Owls about Olly's father which gave them all some spare time to get their homework done. Olly and Sage spent a lot o time studying hard, Sage for the exams and Olly for her animagus transformation. James found himself roped into helping Olly which meant Sage commandeered Fred, something Fred wasn't entirely happy about. Still, although Fred grumbled a lot he was getting better grades on his homework due to Sage's influence. Sage also made sure that James and Olly did some studying for exams instead o focusing solely on the animagus transformation. James was certain that Olly was going to get an "Outstanding" for her transfiguration exam. After all, being able to successfully become an animagus wasn't something most students attempted. Olly was worried about it a little because of all the distractions she'd had during the year and all the revelations that were to come. James tried to soothe her as much as humanly possible but he accepted that she was likely to worry what with everything that had been going on.

The professors were pressing them all harder and James was glad that Olly had her head back on when she was in Potions. Professor Vaisey seemed pleased that she had picked back up to her usual standards. In turn Olly was no longer worrying about failing her exams but James could tell that finding her brother and father was weighing heavily on her mind. James couldn't wait until Kerr arrived back into the country because then they could hopefully have some information that would put an end to the mystery. Olly acted like usual around Eric Nott but James often spotted her staring at him just that little too long as though trying to find some resemblance to her. As far as James was aware she hadn't found one.

"You could not be any more obvious," Sage told Olly after Herebology as the four of them climbed the hill back towards the castle. "Nott is going to notice if you keep staring at him like you've never seen him before."

"I can't help it," Olly explained. "Every time I think that he might be my brother I can't seem to stop myself from staring at him, analysing every feature. Apart from the fact that we both have blue eyes I can't find any similarities."

"Well you won't if Zabini is your brother," James put in squeezing Olly's hand a little.

"Yeah, Olly, have you been staring at him?" asked Fred with a huge grin on his face. Olly shoved him a little.

"You know fine well I haven't been staring at him," Olly told him. "It's not like I know Zabini like I know Eric. There haven't been any opportunities to stare at Zabini. Have you guys got a good look at him at all?"

The three boys frowned.

"Olly, as blokes we resent the idea of staring at another man," Fred told her with his "serious" face on. "I mean Bletchley and Bole might be bum boys together but I certainly do not want the whole school to think I have a taste for other men."

"Ha ha," Olly said sarcastically. "You could have fooled me."

Sage raised an eyebrow.

"Fred, Olly wasn't supposed to know about that," James said with a grin. "You need to stop staring at me across the table."

"Oh sorry, Jamesie boy," Fred replied blinking furiously trying to simulate a girl flirting, "but you're just so delectable."

"Delectable?" said Sage incredulously. "Since when did you use the word delectable?"

Fred shrugged.

"Since I heard you say it Roxy," he replied with a grin. "By the way what does it mean? I've wanted to use ..."

"You lot are the most fucked up friends I have ever known," interrupted a voice just then and the four of them turned round to see Nathaniel Wood walking behind them with Eamonn Finnegan. The two of them were laughing at little. "Do you ever have one hour of your lives in which you act like normal people or are you crazy all the time?"

"Crazy all the time," Olly told them with a grin. "All the best people are."

"Is that you trying to tell us that we're boring because we're normal?" asked Eamonn with a smile.

"Yes," Fred answered cheekily, "so very boring. In fact," he gave a fake yawn, "I'm bored already."

Both Eamonn and Nathaniel rolled their eyes. They were well used to the teasing that came from both James and Fred and even occasionally Sage. After all they had shared a dorm with them for nearly seven years now.

"Anyway," said Nathaniel with a grin, "I just wanted to know when our next practice is?"

"It'll be Wednesday, mate," James told him with a smile as they continued up the hill once more. "It was meant to be Tuesday but Professor Vaisey and Professor Frobisher landed us with a mound of homework. We've been swamped with it since we came back."

"I know," groaned Eamonn, "it's almost like the professors all got together and decided that they weren't giving us enough work."

"It's not all that bad," Sage said with a grin. "At least it'll get us through our exams."

"Why do you always look on the bright side of homework?" asked Nathaniel.

"Don't worry, mate," said Fred clapping Nathaniel on the shoulder, "we've been wondering that our whole lives."

Sage rolled his eyes.

"Anyway," said Nathaniel, "I can't wait to face Slytherin in the final."

"It's the Ravenclaw match I'm looking forward to most," Sage said darkly thinking about Brett Wells and the way he looked at Roxanne.

"I don't know if it can get more exciting that your last match," said Eamonn. "I mean Smith is a right nasty piece of work."

"You've got that right," muttered James under his breath his eyes slipping sideways to glance at Olly. He still remembered quite vividly the feeling he had when Olly had been lying unconscious in the hospital wing. It was a feeling he didn't think he would ever forget. It made him feel sick even just thinking about it.

"Don't you lot start worrying about me," laughed Olly noticing that they were all looking at her. "I'll be perfectly fine at both the Ravenclaw match and the Slytherin match. You know Alex and Eric won't let any of the Slytherin players hurt me."

"I don't know how you can talk to Slytherins," said Nathaniel shaking his head.

"Hey Slytherins are people too," Olly defended her friends. "After all, Smith and Wells aren't Slytherins."

"True," Eamonn agreed. "Where are you lot off to anyways?"

They had reached the entrance hall and the six of them paused.

"We've got Potions," James told them. "What about you two?"

"Divination," Nathaniel said.

"Why did you take that crummy subject?" asked Sage.

"For the general fun," Eamonn said. "Anyway we'll see you later."

With that Eamonn and Nathaniel took off up the stairs and the other four headed towards the dungeons.

* * *

The Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw match was held two weeks later and the team were more than excited about it. James was having a hard time keeping himself calm let alone the rest of his team mates. The dressing room was extremely loud as James tried to shout over everyone and eventually it took Olly screaming for them to shut it for them to quieten down.

"Look, I know we're all excited," James told them as calmly as he could, "If we win this match it puts us way out in front but we need to focus. Wood I want you to keep your eyes on the Quaffle constantly, Roxy, Lily and Olly you three just fly the way you have been flying in practice and we'll crush them. Al, you focus on looking for the snitch, don't let anything distract you, I don't care if Boot is throwing hexes at your head."

"Come on, James," piped up Al. "You know fine well that Boot isn't going to do anything of the sort."

"Yes well I wouldn't put it past Wells," James said darkly. "Just don't be distracted. I don't care if Alice starts taking her top off in the middle of the crowd just focus on the game."

"If Alice does start taking her top off," murmured Fred, "Sage'll have a fit."

"Fred and I will, of course, being defending you from the bludgers and will hopefully manage to break Wells' nose with one," James continued. "Accidentally of course."

The team laughed.

"Okay team let's do this."

James grabbed Olly's hand and they all lined up to wait for Sage to announce them.

"Just don't get battered round the head this time," James told Olly in a soft voice. "You scared me half to death last time."

"Don't worry," Olly whispered back. "I don't plan on doing it again."

She kissed him quickly as Sage's voice filled the stadium.

"Here come the Ravenclaw team Wells, Boot, Rivers, Conway, Tyler, Robertson and Gaffney. Now the Gryffindor team Potter, Potter, Potter, Weasley, Weasley, Black and Wood."

They raced out onto the pitch James still holding onto Olly's hand and the noise was tremendous. James let go of Olly's hand to meet Wells in the middle of the pitch to shake hands. Wells had a superior look on his face as he shook James' hand. James didn't bother to respond though. Wells could keep his arrogance, James thought, because in the next hour or so he was going to crush it into the ground. He smiled a little a Wells as he released his hand before he turned round and headed back to the team.

"Prick," murmured Olly beside him her eyes on Wells.

"Yeah but let's get in the air."

Fifteen brooms rose up high in the air. They were off.

"And the Quaffle is immediately taken by Roxanne Weasley of Gryffindor – what an excellent chaser that girl is, and of course terribly attractive –"

"Longbottom," Neville warned his son, which James found highly amusing and from the smirk he could see on his cousin's face she had found something amusing as well.

"And she's really belting up there, a neat pass to Olivia Black, an excellent chaser and the Captain's girlfriend – ahem – back to Weasley and – no, Ravenclaw have taken the Quaffle, Ravenclaw Captain Brett Wells gains the Quaffle and off he goes – Wells flying like an eagle up there – he's going to score. No saved! An excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Nathaniel Wood and Gryffindor take the Quaffle – that's chaser Lily Potter of Gryffindor, nice dive around Wells, off up the field and – OUCH – that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a bludger."

James growled and smacked a bludger right back at Caleb Rivers who had hit the bludger at his little sister.

"That's Sebastian Robertson speeding off towards the goalposts but he's blocked by another bludger – sent his way by Fred Weasley – nice play by the Gryffindor beater and Weasley is back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and of she goes – she's really flying – dodges a speeding bludger – the goalposts are straight ahead – come on, Roxy. YES, she scores. 10 – 0 GRYFFINDOR!"

James beamed down at the crowd as the Gryffindor's cheered ecstatically and Ravenclaws issued low groans of disappointment. High above him Al was focused on looking for the snitch. Hovering just a little down the way was Thomas Boot also looking anxiously for the snitch. Al dodged a speeding bludger before his brother nearly knocked him off his broom as he sped after it.

"Focus, Al," James called as he shot past. Al thought it was quite difficult to focus when your own brother had practically collided with you but he dutifully turned his attention back to the game and looking for the snitch.

"Ravenclaw in possession," Sage was saying, "Chaser Robertson dodges a bludger sent his way by Captain James Potter and then loses possession to Roxanne Weasley – she speeds off down towards the Ravenclaw goalposts – she's almost there –"

WHAM! Roxanne was blocked on purpose by Wells sending her broom spinning off as she dropped the Quaffle and the Gryffindors screamed in protest. Fred whacked a bludger a Wells ferociously which Wells ducked nimbly. Unfortunately Madam Aaro hadn't noticed and therefore Wells got away with the illegal move.

"What?" called Wells to Fred who was glaring at him as he sped past. "Roxy needs to learn to hack it."

In the commentators box Sage was furious.

"After that revolting foul by –"

"Longbottom!" warned Neville.

"I mean, after that disgusting bit of cheating –"

"Sage!"

"Fine. Wells nearly knocked Weasley off her broom – luckily Chaser Black caught it and she's nearly at the goalpost – come on Olly – she puts it away no problem and it's 20 – 0 to Gryffindor."

James punched the air and the batted a fierce bludger towards Wells. It caught him in the side of the shoulder making him spin round slightly. James smirked. That should teach the smug idiot.

"Ravenclaw have possession – Tyler has the Quaffle – passes Weasley – passes Potter – he's nearing the Gryffindor goalpost – Can the Gryffindor keeper save it? – No, Ravenclaw score – 20 – 10 to Gryffindor."

"Don't worry, James," Olly shouted as she flew past him to get into formation with Roxy and Lily, "we'll get it back."

"I have no doubt about that," James shouted after her and then sped after a bludger hit Al's way by Rivers. He smacked it out of the way so it collided with Well's face and James could hear the delight in Sage's voice as he told the crowd that Well's pursuit of Olly had been stopped by a bludger to the nose.

"It's Black with the Quaffle – she passes to Potter – who passes to Weasley – Weasley passes back almost immediately – they fool the Ravenclaw keeper – and it's 30 – 10 Gryffindor."

James dodged a bludger that came his way courtesy of Robert Conway and the sped after it as it headed toward Nathaniel who was hovering in front of the hoops. James managed to catch up and the belted it back down the pitch knocking Chaser Tyler off course.

"Tyler has dropped the Quaffle after some good work from Potter – Potter, I mean Lily Potter, picks up possession of the Quaffle – it's a hairpin swerve – she's off towards the Ravenclaw goalposts – Black and Weasley are flying with her all the way – Merlin, that girl can fly – she passes to Weasley – Weasley passes Black – Black back to Potter – Whoa! A bludger narrowly misses Black's head – Potter passes back to Black – Black shoots – she SCORES! 40 – 10 Gryffindor."

James beamed at the sight of Wells grinding his teeth angrily and then flew in with Fred to protect Lily and Roxy from the two bludgers heading their way. Fred hurtled one in the direction of the Ravenclaw beater Robert Conway and James smacked one in the direction of Thomas Boot.

"Ravenclaw have the Quaffle – Tyler passes to Wells – Wells speeds up towards the goalpost – he passes to Robertson – Oh intercepted by a sweet move from Chaser Black – Now Gryffindor are in possession – Black passes to Potter – and Boot certainly thinks he's seen the snitch."

James whacked a bludger in Wells' direction but didn't wait to see if it connected. He turned to see where Albus was neck and neck with the Ravenclaw seeker Thomas Boot. Unfortunately he didn't have time to watch them as a bludger rushed past him hit by Conway obviously directions at Lily. James rushed off after it but kept his ear open to listen to what Sage was screaming.

"It's Potter, Albus Potter, and Thomas Boot – they're neck and neck – who is going to catch the snitch? – they're both so close – they might collide – Lily Potter scores – 50 – 10 to Gryffindor – a bludger comes out of nowhere forcing Albus Potter to dodge but it hits Boot's broomstick – Potter's got the snitch – Gryffindor win 200 points to 10!"

James whacked a last bludger away from Roxy and then cheered along with the rest of Gryffindor who were celebrating so loudly he could barely hear the cheers from his team mates as they all raced towards Albus who was now on the ground. James glanced at Wells who was headed to the ground looking bitterly disappointed. The feeling was almost as great as when he had finally started dating Olly, almost but not quite.

James joined his team mates of the ground and Sage suddenly appeared obviously having deserted the commentators stand. He grabbed Roxy in a passionate embrace and, after congratulating his brother on his capture of the snitch, James managed to get to Olly who had been cheering with his little sister.

"Well done Black," he told her with a grin encircling her waist in his arms.

"Well done to you too, Potter," Olly replied with a smile and then she kissed him.

* * *

The jubilation seemed to carry into the next day as Sage, Fred, James and Olly headed up to the library. Sage had insisted that he needed to get some work done and with everyone in the common room doing re-enactments of the match the day before he couldn't concentrate. Olly had said she would go with him since she wanted to do some more animagus study and also see if she couldn't find anything more on her father or brother. When she had said that, James and Fred had also decided to tag along.

"I don't know what I would have done if you had lost yesterday's match," Sage admitted as they reached the corridor for the library. "I mean it would have been torture to put with Wells' smug face for the rest of the year."

"Well, we had to win so James can have a perfect record for his final year," said Olly with a grin squeezing James' hand. "He won't be offered any places on professional teams if he hasn't captained his team well."

"I hardly think it's just my captaining," James said modestly beaming at Olly.

"It isn't," Fred said. "It's my beating arm."

The other three laughed as Fred flexed his bicep and then kissed it.

"Sad boy," Olly commented as she pushed the door open to the library.

"You only just realised that?" asked Sage jokingly.

Fred punched him lightly in the arm.

"Don't be mean," he said sticking out his tongue.

"Hey look there's Alex and Eric," said Olly delighted and James, Sage and Fred exchanged weary glances as Olly rushed over to where Alex and Eric were standing by a bookcase. They followed her reluctantly and James eyed them speculatively as they both embraced Olly.

"What are you two doing here?" asked Olly joyfully.

"Studying, Black, what else?" joked Alex ruffling Olly's hair affectionately. "Well done on yesterday's match by the way. I see I've got to keep the team in rigid shape."

"Aw thanks. It's only because James makes us practice so hard."

Alex and Eric only just seemed to notice the three boys hovering behind Olly just then and inclined their heads in tentative greeting.

"Well done, Potter," Eric said genuinely. "We'll have to up our game to beat Gryffindor in the final."

James didn't bother to respond because he knew that his answer would probably be very sarcastic. He might not want to be friends with Flint and Nott but he didn't want to be rude to them either especially since they were such good friends with Olly. So he settled for what he hoped was a grateful smile.

"I've come up to do some Animagi study," Olly confided in the two boys. "The test isn't that far off."

"I'm sure you'll do fine," Alex told her with a grin. "You've been studying non-stop."

"Hey guys," called an unfamiliar voice from the next aisle and Olly turned to see a boy come round the corner clutching an old newspaper. His eyes flickered to hers and Olly couldn't help but gasp. His eyes were slightly slanted and the dark green colour of moss. Those eyes were her mother's eyes.

* * *

_This took me so so so long.  
I kept getting immense writer's block.  
It was awful.  
Anyway I hope you enjoyed it.  
Please let me know what you think.  
Just click that review button.  
Reviews are the icing on the cake of my life._

_Kerr X._


	18. Well Done Captain Obvious

Time seemed to have stopped as Olly gazed into the eyes of the boy in front of her hardly unable to believe that her twin brother was now standing in front of her. Her mother's eyes looked back at her unblinking.

"Olly, you know Jacob Zabini right?" asked Eric with a worried expression on his face as Olly stared, open mouthed at the boy in front of her. The three Slytherin's were even more puzzled when James moved forward and caught Olly in his arms, holding her firmly against his chest as he narrowed his eyes at Zabini as though he had threatened Olly in some way.

"What is it Olly?" James asked her quietly.

"His eyes," Olly murmured and immediately James, Fred and Sage all looked at Jacob Zabini who was standing there still clutching his old newspaper and looking rather confused between the Slytherins and the Gryffindors. Olly couldn't seem to drag her eyes away from his even to look over the rest of him, to search for any other resemblances. Here was absolute proof he was her brother.

"Merlin's socks," murmured Sage as he moved to stand beside James. "It's undeniable isn't it?"

Olly finally managed to tear her eyes away from Jacob Zabini's to look at the rest of him. He was taller than her by a good four inches with wayward brown hair and a knife edged nose. He was good looking in a careless kind of way that was reminiscent of her mother. He had broad shoulders but wasn't in stocky in any sense of the word.

"What in the name of Merlin's pants is going on?" asked Zabini suddenly in a perplexed tone.

"What are you doing here?" Olly asked him rather forcefully.

"I don't think that's any of your business, Black," he told her firmly.

"Are you looking for information on your mother?" she ventured without thinking, barely hearing his rebuke.

Jacob Zabini stared at her for a moment completely astonished before his eyes swivelled accusingly to Alex and Eric who were looking just as astonished as he was.

"Don't look at us," Alex told him. "We haven't let slip anything."

"No they didn't tell me," Olly told Zabini with a brief glance back at Alex and Eric. "I know because," Olly took a deep breath; "my mother is your mother."

James was pretty sure that the shock was still reverberating down in the Great Hall, up in the Astronomy tower and even at Dumbledore's tomb. The three Slytherin all just stood and gaped at Olly who seemed pretty calm under the circumstances. James looked over Zabini again. The eyes were undeniable but there really was no other resemblance to link the Slytherin to Olly or Kerr. No wonder no one had noticed anything before.

"No," said Jacob Zabini shaking his head slowly. "No. No. There's absolutely no way you are my twin sister."

"Apparently so," Olly told him with a grin that James supposed was an attempt at comfort. "I've followed all the clues my mother gave me and I came down to two choices."

"Well who is the other choice?" Zabini asked. "Surely it could be him."

Olly smiled sympathetically and then glanced at Eric.

"You were the other candidate," she told him with a smile.

Eric grinned back.

"Well it isn't me," Eric said glancing at Zabini. "Jacob's been getting the letters."

"There's no way you can be my sister," Zabini said frowning as he gestured at Olly. "I mean it's impossible."

"Hardly," Olly replied calmly. "It's not a coincidence that we're both searching for the truth about our parents and that you have my mother's eyes."

"They could be anyone's eyes," Zabini argued back. "Loads of people have green eyes."

"Not like that," Sage contradicted him. "They are the exact same shape and colour as Kerr's eyes. I've never seen anyone else with that exact shade of eyes."

"Well apart from my Great Uncle Johnny," said Olly with a rather stupid grin on her face which made James clutch her tighter to his chest. Nott and Flint both looked at him with confused expressions but James didn't bother to explain himself. He knew what that stupid smile of Olly's meant and it wasn't a good thing. She was feeling completely out of her depth.

"This is completely crazy," burst out Zabini. "I mean come on. We look nothing alike."

"Well done Captain Obvious," murmured Fred quietly to Sage and James.

"I think we would have noticed sooner if we looked alike," Olly said patiently. "After all, I look like my, I mean our, mother and you must look like your, our father. It's not a bloody coincidence that your real mother starts writing you letters at the same time my father does or that they both send us clues in order to find our twin."

"But your mother was a Gryffindor."

"Your father was a Slytherin."

Olly was well aware that both Eric and Alex were looking between them with the most intrigued expressions on their faces. She was glad that James, Sage and Fred were all there to give her some support. She could hardly believe it. Her father was Blaise Zabini. How in the bloody name of Merlin's left bollock had that happened?

"Look why would your mother and my father have even been together?" he asked almost beseechingly. "Your mother is one of Potter's friends."

"And just what is wrong with that?" growled James pushing forward slightly in a threatening manner but Olly pushed him back.

"What difference does that make?" Olly asked him watching him closely.

"It doesn't really make a difference," Zabini responded quickly. "It's just they're hardly the most likely relationship. I mean my dad doesn't hate Potter but it's not as though he likes him."

"And what has our parents getting together have to do with who their friends are?" Olly countered. "After all, your dad, I mean, our dad, was friends with Malfoy."

"He still is really," interrupted Alex just then earning him a glare from Zabini. "Well, he is married to your mum's sister."

"Apparently not," Zabini retorted. "Apparently, her mother is my mother."

"Excuse me," said Sage in a steely tone, "but she does have a name."

Zabini looked blankly at Sage for a moment as though he had just materialized beside James and Olly. Slowly his gaze shifted from Sage over James to Olly who looked even paler than usual.

"Sorry," he told her with a gentleman's manners. "It's Olly, isn't it?"

Her lip curled up at the edge slightly.

"Well normally just to my friends, "she replied in a teasing tone, "but since your family."

He looked slightly taken aback by that for a moment before he lapsed into his thoughtful although slightly confused expression once again. Olly knew exactly how he felt. She found it a little more than crazy that he was her twin brother and as far as she could see there wasn't one hint of a resemblance between them. She was dying to compare everything to see if anything was the same but she knew that it wasn't really the right moment.

"So, em, I hate to be the party pooper," said Fred breaking the silence that had developed, "but what on earth happens now?"

"What do you mean?" asked Eric puzzled as they all turned to look at Fred.

"I mean they're twins but Zabini's dad is already married to someone else. So what do they do?"

Olly looked at Zabini who was looking as confused as she felt. She had been worrying about that for ages. What should they do now? Should they tell people that they were brother and sister? Should they keep the twenty year old secret? Should they just pretend that none of it had ever happened and go back to their normal lives?

"I don't know," he told her as though he had read her mind. "I mean I think I've always known that my parents don't love each other but it's like that for most of us, except maybe Alex."

"Yeah," Alex agreed raising his eyebrow, "my parents are nauseating."

"A lot of Slytherin's have marriages based on convenience and blood purity rather than actual love," Eric chipped in, "although my parents, at least, like each other."

"Unlike mine," continued Zabini in a heavy voice. "It's rare to find them in the same room together. I just don't understand how this could have happened."

"Why do you mean?" asked Sage frowning slightly.

"I mean," said Zabini in an exasperated voice, "that my parents have been married since before I was born. If my father loved someone else, my real mother, then why didn't he just leave my mum, I mean Daphne? How has it come to this?"

Olly looked at him with concern and the expression on her face was such that James grasped her to him once more. It had been different for him, she thought, her brother. She had grown up without a father and knowing that he was out there somewhere. He had grown up with someone he had thought was his mother, never thinking for one second that his father had ever loved someone else, never thinking that someday the truth would be revealed and that everything he had thought he'd known was just lies.

"I'm sorry," she said softly casting her eyes downward.

"Olly, it's not your fault," James breathed quietly as Zabini looked at her with wild eyes.

"What are you apologising for?" he asked her.

Olly shrugged slightly sinking her teeth into her lower lip causing James, Sage and Fred to converge behind her like an iron wall as though desperately trying to shield from whatever was worrying her.

"I don't know," she said softly after a moment. "I'm sorry that your life isn't what you thought it was. I'm sorry that I've come along and messed it all up."

"It's not your fault," Zabini echoed James. "It's not like your breaking apart my loving home. I grew up thinking that everyone's parents were the same as mine because even my Aunt and Uncle are the same. They're married but not because they love each other. I just assumed that was normal."

"Until you met us," said Alex with a grin.

"Your parents are the abnormal ones," laughed Eric punching Alex playfully in the arm. "They actually love each other."

Alex laughed slightly.

"You guys would get a kick out of my parents then," said James softly. "If your parents are nauseating it is nothing compare to living with mine."

"Yeah at least mine and Sage's parents are discreet," laughed Fred causing the Weasley blush to creep up James' cheeks a little.

"I was so confused when I got that first letter," Zabini said as though oblivious to everyone else in the room as he looked at Olly. "I really didn't understand what was happening and I was furious to begin with. I felt cheated and lied to but when my dad started sending me those letters that your mother had sent him it seemed so surreal. After years of watching my parents walk out of a room when the other entered here was a letter from a women who loved my dad. It wasn't like the letters were romantic but there was just something underneath the words, the whole tone of them. You can tell that she loved him."

A stillness enveloped them when Zabini had finished speaking. Olly's hand pressed against her pocket feeling the stiffness of the parchment through the material. She always kept the letters on her. She felt as though if she kept them close they would bring her luck.

"Your dad's letters to my mum were the same," she said eventually. "It wasn't until we got the third one that we managed to narrow it down to you or Eric."

"Were you shocked that it was a Slytherin?" asked Alex with a snigger.

"No, she wasn't," Fred told him with a laugh. "She kind of gave an excited scream."

"No I didn't, Fred," said Olly aiming a punch at his hip.

"You did so," Fred retorted as he failed to dodge Olly's fist.

"She was just pleased it wasn't Smith to be honest," Sage explained to the three Slytherins. Alex and Eric were laughing a little but Zabini was just looking at Olly, studying her as though he was searching for something.

"We look nothing alike," he told her gently as he searched her. "You're tall, for a girl."

Olly smiled a little.

"My mum's tall and so was gran," she told him rubbing her left shoulder slightly in an action that James, Fred and Sage recognised as Olly feeling a little awkward. "So what are we going to do about this whole thing, Jake?"

It was the first time she had used his first name but the impact it seemed to have was incredible. To begin with there was complete silence as the three Gryffindor boys and the other two Slytherins looked at the two of them as they watched each other careful. Then he smiled and it seemed to light up his face. Olly smiled in return, his smile almost infectious.

"I've found a resemblance," said Eric with a laugh as he glanced between the two of them. "You have the same smile."

Olly's smiled widened a little as she glanced at Eric. She could feel Sage, Fred and James looking at Zabini from behind her, studying his almost lazy smile. She couldn't really see it herself but then she figured she didn't spend a lot of time smiling at herself.

"I have no idea what to do, Olly," Jacob Zabini replied in a quiet voice casting his eyes downward, his smile fading from his face. "I don't think I can really take it all in at the moment. I mean I'm used to my sister being Kaiya and my mother being Daphne. I don't know what to do about this."

Olly felt the rejection sting her but such was her self control that it only flickered across her face for a moment before she had her passive face on again. She hadn't wanted to get her hopes up but it seemed that she had. Always a practical, realistic kind of girl she had constantly pushed away the idea of a fairytale ending but at night her subconscious mind played tricks on her creating dreams of being part of a proper family.

"Well I can understand that," she told him calmly. "I'm having a hard time getting used to the idea as well and, after all, we hardly know each other."

The tension in the air was obvious. Olly was trying not to let it affect her. She didn't want to feel disappointed. She knew that the things that happened in muggle movies were nothing like real life. She had to give Jake time to adjust to the idea. Still she had thought that they would maybe at least spend some time together, get to know each other, see if they had any similarities. She knew she would just have to be patient.

"You could maybe speak to your parents," suggested Sage softly. "It's probably confusing and hard to understand at the moment but maybe speaking to them, getting them to explain what happened and why, will make it easier on the both of you."

Olly smiled at Sage whilst Jake just looked at him. James squeezed Olly's arm briefly in comfort. He was feeling rather tense himself. He hated Olly feeling out of control because he knew how much she hated it and therefore was feeling particularly overprotective.

"What do you think?" Olly asked Jake calmly trying to appear too keen.

"It's a good idea," said Jake slowly turning those moss green eyes back towards her, just looking at them made a shiver go down Olly's spine. "Dad said that they'd answer all our questions. I could owl him and ask if he can get up to Hogsmeade one weekend."

Olly immediately sent a worried look at James which Jake caught.

"What's wrong?" they said in unison.

"Well," said Olly hesitantly, "I'll owl mum and see if she can come as well but she's always really busy and I don't know what she'll be like seeing your, our dad again."

"Why?" asked Jake raising his eyebrow, a mannerism that he shared with Olly and Kerr.

"Well, it's just that my mum has spent the last seventeen years avoiding your dad like the plague," she explained cautiously.

"Why?"

"Because they split up and separated us. I think she just wanted to avoid any heartache. She doesn't even know your name."

Jake just looked at her for a moment and Olly couldn't really read his expression.

"Okay," he said after a minute of thought. "If she feels awkward about it we could maybe have them come on different weekends."

"Hopefully she'll be fine," Olly said listlessly. She didn't know why she suddenly felt so down. "I'll owl her about it. We'll need to decide which weekend we want them to come."

"The next one would be the easiest," Jake told her.

"Okay," she said. "I suppose I'll see you around. I'll let you know if she's coming. Come on guys."

Olly turned to leave feeling rather disheartened as she headed to the door. Sage, James and Fred all exchanged glances before nodding briefly at the Slytherins and then following her.

"Olly," Jake Zabini called after her. She turned back to look at him as he jogged towards her. "Look, I just want you to know it's not because it's you."

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"I don't want you to feel rejected," he explained. "I just need some time to get my head around it."

"You're very intuitive," Sage said with a grin.

"I get it from my dad," Jake told him.

So that's where I get it, Olly thought suddenly like a light bulb switched on in her head. Her mother wasn't an emotional person and although she was very good at coercing people into telling her what was wrong she wasn't able to read people the way that Olly could.

"It's all right, Jake," she said with a smile. "I get it."

"Right, well, see you around."

"Bye."

With that Olly left the library with the three boys behind her. She didn't speak and just walked quickly down the corridor at an unusually quick pace. She didn't know quite how she felt. She was overwhelmed. She was disappointed that they didn't just immediately click, embarrassed at how ridiculous she must have sounded, upset that she had let slip about how her mother had been avoiding her father and awkward about feeling rejected. She wanted to go some place and scream until she couldn't any more. She would probably feel a lot better then.

"Hey Olly," said James as he caught up to her grasping her hand in his. "Where are you going with that power walk?"

Olly looked up at him to see him surveying her with gentle brown eyes. She sighed letting the tension seep out of her. It was okay, she told herself. As long as she had her mum, James, Sage and Fred she could face whatever happened.

"I don't know where I'd be without you three," she said softly her lip trembling slightly as she glanced round at Sage and Fred who both grinned at her.

"Oh Olly," said James softly as he pulled her into his arm hugging her tightly to his chest. "We'll always be here for you, yeah?"

Olly felt a tear slip down her face as she nodded. She felt rather shaken. The next moment she felt a little suffocated as both Sage and Fred joined the cuddle, squeezing her tightly between the three of them, as though they were massive patronums not allowing any unhappiness near her.

"Thanks guys," she whispered as they broke apart a moment later.

"You know what the best news is Olly?" said Fred with a massive grin on his face. "You're related to Kaiya Zabini."

"Oh bollocks!"

* * *

_So here it is.  
The long awaited eighteenth chapter.  
I am so sorry it took so long.  
I have been as busy as Mary Poppins trying to clean out her bag.  
Anyways I hope you enjoyed it.  
Only a few chapters left.  
So go on make my month.  
Push the magical button called review._

_Kerr X._


	19. Is It True?

After meeting her brother for the first time Olly immediately sent her mother an owl asking her to come to Hogwarts and answer the questions that she and Jake had. She cautiously explained that Blaise Zabini, her father, would also be coming up. She hoped her mother wouldn't freak out.

Olly found it difficult to imagine something upsetting her mother. Kerr had always seemed like a pillar of strength against which the tides of destruction made no marks. What a brilliant facade. How could anyone know what lay beneath the inscrutable face? Olly prayed that her mother would be alone when she received the owl. If Kerr were to break down in front of anyone Olly knew that she would be deeply embarrassed.

Olly was long used to the waits between owls from her mother but Jake certainly wasn't. Blaise Zabini had written back almost immediately to agree to the meeting whereas Kerr's response had yet to be received. Olly could feel Jake's eyes upon her every morning as the owls flocked in and she knew he was just waiting for that letter to arrive, just like she was. A week had passed now and still no owl arrived for Olly. She could almost feel Jake's impatience burning into the back of her neck as he watched for her owl. She wished she could easily pop over to his table to tell him that her mother often took a long time to respond to anything let alone that she had to make a decision about whether she wanted to face Blaise Zabini once more. Still it would seem strange if she was suddenly on speaking terms with Jacob Zabini.

"Oh come on, mum," Olly groaned exasperated as she searched the owls flocking in and didn't spot Artemuis amongst them.

"Don't worry, Olly," said James squeezing her hand in comfort. "I'm sure your mum will get back to you soon. She's probably swamped with work. Mum was saying in her last owl that there has been an increase of dark magic being used in the North of Wales. Your mum's probably huddled in a room with my dad and Uncle Ron trying to decide on strategy and what is causing the increase."

"Yeah but we're her kids," Olly responded miserably. "Why can't she leave you dad and Ron to deal with it?"

"When has your mum ever let Uncle Harry and Uncle Ron deal with anything work related on their own?" asked Fred from across the table as he piled ketchup onto a mound of sausages.

"Never," said Olly. "You'd think that for once this would be more important that work though."

James, Sage and Fred looked at Olly with concern. Everyone knew that Kerr was a workaholic and that no matter who gave her a talking to she had yet to relent. Until now Olly had never questioned her mother's need to throw herself into her work. Neither had she betrayed any feelings of abandonment but it seemed that she was finally wondering why her mother never seemed to be around.

"She's probably just scared," Sage suggested gently. "It will be the first time she has laid eyes on Jake since he was born and the first time she has met your father since he took Jake away from her."

Olly smiled at Sage a little hearing the wisdom in his words. She knew what he said was true. Deep down inside Olly knew that he mother had never thought she was less important that her work.

"I kind of wish that I could explain to Zabini, I mean, Jake, what she's like," Olly told them. "My father wrote back almost immediately and Jake seemed to think that she's taking forever. This just feels like an average waiting period to me. Mum has never been great at keeping up correspondence. She reads it, puts it to the side and then forgets all about it."

"I doubt she'll have forgotten about it," James said with a smile. "She finally knows her own son's name. It's hardly something she's likely to forget."

Olly smiled back at him before James pulled her gently against him wrapping an arm around her shoulders and planting a kiss on the top of her head.

"Your mum will be in touch as soon as she has had a moment to process everything," Sage told her comfortingly. "Mr Zabini will just have to be patient."

Olly glanced back over her shoulder to look at her brother who was talking to Alexi Flint. He seemed to realise that she was watching him and glanced up to meet her gaze. He smiled a little before turning back to his conversation. Olly smiled as she looked back at Sage.

"Well, at least, he is annoyed with me about it," she said with relief.

"He's probably just desperate for an answer," Fred mumbled through his last sausage. "I would be if I were him."

Sage looked at Fred in disgust, a look that Fred noticed.

"What?" he asked with a frown.

"Can you please keep your mouth shut when you're eating?" Sage asked him in an exasperated tone. "I for one do not want to see the chewed up pieces of sausage in your mouth."

"Well don't look," Fred retorted amiably.

Olly and James just smiled. Sage and Fred bickered like an old married couple and it wasn't the first time Sage had told Fred to keep his mouth shut whilst he was eating. In fact, he'd probably been telling Fred not to talk with his mouth full from about the age of three. Not that it had changed anything. Fred insisted that he'd forget what he was going to say if he had to wait to finish what was in his mouth at the time.

"I can't help looking when you're talking to me," Sage told him.

"I wasn't talking to you."

"You are now."

"Come on, guys," laughed Olly as she and James to their feet swinging their bags over their shoulders. "Let's get to class."

Fred and Sage grabbed their bags and followed James and Olly out of the Great Hall. They had Charms first thing which was Fred's best subject and Professor Flitwick was certain that he was going to achieve an "Outstand" grade in his Newt exam. The teachers of other subjects often lamented that Fred seemed to put all his hard work into Charms and, therefore, had nothing left to five in their classes.

"That sausage was lovely," Fred announced as he finally swallowed the rest of his sausage.

"What about the other twenty five?" laughed James his arm slung around Olly's shoulders.

"They were good too," Fred responded with a wide Weasley plastered across his face, "but the last one was the best. Pity it was spoiled by my mother over here."

He punched Sage in the shoulder to which Sage responded by clinching him in a head lock and rubbing his knuckles on his head briskly causing Fred to yell and try to wriggle away. Sage laughed as he let him go.

"That'll teach you to be cheeky," he told Fred with a grin.

Fred rolled his eyes as they turned into the Charms corridor. Students were already lined up outside the classroom including Bletchley and Bole. The four friends slotted in at the back of the queue hoping to avoid any run ins. Roxy, who was at the head of the queue, spotted them and left her friends to join them, slipping her arm around Sage's waist.

"Hello you lot," she said brightly, her vibrant red hair tumbling about her face. "Did you have a good breakfast?"

"Probably the best meal of Longbottom's pathetic life," sneered the all too familiar voice of Bole who hadn't forgotten that Sage had spat on him. "After all eating in the presence of his ugly mother is enough to put anyone of their food."

"Leave him alone," Olly barked back furiously as Sage studiously ignored them and grabbed Fred's arm to stop him launching himself on Bole. "It's not like either of you can talk. Both your mothers fell out of the ugly tree hitting every branch on the way down before it collapsed on top of them."

"Don't you talk about our mothers like that, Black," hissed Bletchley threateningly his wand already in his hand as was Bole's. They weren't taking any chances this time.

"Well why don't I talk about you then?" shouted Olly angrily before Roxy had the chance to interrupt. She had had enough of them attacking Sage. "Look at you, Bole, you look like the corpse of a rat you're so freakishly thin and you stink like something that's died and let's be honest, Bletchley, you fat twat, you stink of BO because you can't wash yourself properly since you're the size of a blubber whale. You're both so pathetic, constantly needing to boost your own egos that you pick on other people to feed your desperate desire for some kind of recognition. Well, bugger off and get a life."

Bletchley and Bole looked stunned for a moment as the cheers went up around them. They glanced at each other in confusion before the sneer appeared back on Bletchley's face. He was determined not to come out the worst of this situation. He grabbed Olly's wrist fiercely pulling her towards him until she was on her knees in front of him. James, Fred and Sage all started forward but were stopped by Bole who cast a shield charm, stopping them from helping Olly.

"Get off me, you fat creep," Olly shouted at Bletchley swinging up her free arm to try and punch him but Bletchley caught her other wrist tightly with his free hand. He leaned right down towards her until their noses were about an inch apart and tightened his vice like grip on her wrists.

"Well you certainly take after your mother, Black," he sneered in her face as Olly tried to loosen his grip on her wrists. "After all, how can anyone expect any better? Your mother has no idea who your father is. She probably only ever met him in the once. There are probably plenty of men he could be. Like mother like daughter eh? Not content with Potter, Longbottom and Weasley, are you? I saw you staring at Zabini. You just can't help it, can you? It's all you bloody think about, you slag."

"Get off me," Olly yelled at him struggling harder but he just tightened his grip on her before he shook her harshly making her teeth rattle.

"It doesn't matter what you say about us, Black," he whispered threateningly, "because we know that your mother is a whore and so are you."

BAM! A fist made contact with the side of Bletchley's face knocking him sideways releasing Olly from his grasp. Startled Bole swung round, loosing concentration and dropping the shield charm that was holding back an enraged James, a furious Fred and a livid Sage who all immediately pounced on him with Roxy trying to hold them back. Olly looked down at where Bletchley was rolling around on the floor clutching his face before she glanced up at her rescuer.

"Touch my sister again," stormed Jacob Zabini suddenly terrible in his rage, "and I'll curse you into oblivion."

Bletchley coward on the floor with the utmost confusion on his face that mirrored the face of their other classmates gathered around them. Their confusion deepened as Jake grabbed Olly under her elbows and helped her to her feet.

"You all right?" he asked her quietly.

"Fine," she told him aiming a kick at Bletchley as she rubbed her wrists. "So much for keeping this a secret."

Jacob frowned.

"I couldn't help it," he said. "It sort of just slipped out. I couldn't just stand back and watch him do that to you. You are my sister, right?"

"Right, thanks, Jake," she told him with a smile before looking round at where James was now cursing Bletchley and Fred along with Sage were stuffing Bole full of puking pastilles which they had conveniently found in Fred's pocket.

"Don't mention it," he told her faintly embarrassed now that he had rather publicly exposed the secret that their parent had been hiding for twenty years.

"I suppose our parents will have to come up now," Olly said softly, "even if it's just to sort out the media when the press get a hold of this."

"I suppose we had better warn them then," Jake replied shoving his hands into his pockets as he watched Bletchley turn a horrible shade of purple and started sprouting orange tentacles. "Maybe it'll inspire your mum to write back quicker."

"I wanted to explain to you how she is with sending owls," said Olly with a faint smile. "It doesn't seem all that long for me but I suppose for you, being used to receiving owls regularly, she must be taking forever."

"That's all right," Jake replied evenly looking round at Bletchley trying to pick himself up off the floor and Bole who was looking as though he was about to vomit. "Get out of here," he growled at them as Bole helped Bletchley to his feet and they both sped off in the direction of the hospital wing, Bole retching as they went.

"Probably should have modified their memories," laughed Sage wrapping an arm around Roxy who was halfway between amused and disapproving.

"There's something else you get from Kerr," James commented as he strode over to Olly and enveloped her in his arms.

"What's that?" asked Jake confused.

"You forget that you have a wand and resort to using your fists," said Fred with a laugh. "Olly's terrible for it."

"Why does your mother do that?" asked Jake looking down at Olly.

"She grew up with muggles," Olly said simply.

"Ah."

All around them their classmates were staring at them completely confused by what had just gone on. The whispering going round sounded like the buzzing of bees. Jake could only catch a few words from the throng of students. _"He said leave my sister." "Are Zabini and Black related?" "What earth was all that about?" _His father was not going to be happy if the story leaked to the _Daily Prophet_. He had specifically asked that the whole thing was kept quiet. At first Jake had assumed that his father hadn't wanted to embarrass Daphne but it had turned out that his father didn't want to make Kerr uncomfortable.

"What in the name of Merlin happened there?" asked Cassius Boon, a dark haired Hufflepuff.

Olly and Jake swapped pained looks before they faced their classmates once again. All the faces held expressions of confusion and curiosity. Luckily, they were saved by Professor Flitwick arriving.

"All right class," he said in his high pitched squeaky voice, "in you go."

It was only when they had taken their usual places that Olly noticed that Jake was alone at the back of the room. Where was Alex? Eric was the only Slytherin who didn't take Charms and instead had Arithmancy. Bletchley and Bole were obviously absent but Alex's absence was unusual. Olly caught Jake's eye and then glanced at the empty seat beside him. Jake just shrugged. He had no idea where Alex might be.

The lesson itself was uneventful except for Alex turning up halfway through. James could see the class whispering amongst themselves and looking round at where Olly was sitting before glancing at Zabini. It worried him. Everything was going to escalate now. Olly and Jake hadn't even had the chance to sit down with their parents and discuss things. He glanced at Olly who sat beside him working diligently and looking the picture of calm. James was certain she was anything but calm.

They had Defence Against the Dark Arts next which mainly consisted of studying for their upcoming exams. Professor Thomas also spent some time quizzing them on subjects that he had hinted would come up in the exam. James felt quite proud of himself as he had answered all the questions directed at him correctly and some of the ones that others had got wrong. It was the only class he ever raised his hand in.

After DADA it was time for lunch. James could feel that Olly's hand was clammy when she slipped it into his. He gave it a tight squeeze trying to be reassuring. Fred and Sage flanked them. Fred was chattering endlessly about nothing as though trying to distract Olly from whatever was going on inside her head. James wished it would work but Olly seemed to have a permanent crease between her eyebrows. He knew she was worrying about what was going to happen and how her mother was going to be affected.

"You know, Jamesie," said Fred distracting him from his thought, "I had never noticed that you are like a Defence Encyclopaedia."

"Can I help it if I am a genius?" James responded with a laugh.

"You wish you were a genius," Sage told him ruffling his hair.

As they reached the top of the marble staircase they could hear the buzz of chattering students coming from the Great Hall. Olly's hand tightened on James' wondering what would be awaiting her. James gripped her hand a little tighter as they descended down the stairs a little slower than usual.

When they reached the entrance hall Lily and Albus came darting out of the Great Hall and very nearly collided with them.

"Oh there you four are," gasped Albus a little breathless. "We were just coming to find you."

"Why?" asked James bracing himself for the worst.

"Everyone's dying to know what the fight was about outside Charms," Lily told them swiftly her curious eyes flitting over the four of them. James, Fred, Sage and Olly all exchanged horrified looked. Surely it couldn't have spread this quickly.

"They're saying that Jacob Zabini called Olly his sister," Al explained regaining his breath as he looked at Olly, "after he battered Bletchley to pulp hitting you."

Olly raised her eyebrows in disbelief. The rumours that spread around the school had a nasty habit of being exaggerated greatly. She shouldn't have been surprised really. She had known that the story would have been round the students as quickly as the common cold.

"Well Bletchley didn't hit me for one," Olly said in a calm tone that was the complete opposite of how she felt, "and Jake only punched Bletchley the once."

"I turned him into something resembling a quid," James told his younger siblings proudly.

"Never mind all that," said Lily exasperated. "Is it true? Is Jacob Zabini your brother?"

* * *

_WooHoo the nineteenth chapter.  
I hope you guys enjoy it.  
So much drama.  
As ever I adore to know your opinions.  
Much love._

_Kerr X._


	20. What Happens Now?

**TWINS?**

_Seventeen years ago Miss Kerrys Lily Alexis White Black, now 41, announced to the Wizarding World the birth of her daughter, Olivia Serena Black, but the question on everyone's lips was, who is her father? It has been a question asked many times over the years and Kerr Black has declined to say every time, even her closest friends including the Potters, the Weasleys and the Longbottoms have been kept in the dark._

_This _Daily Prophet_ reporter can now exclusively reveal that Miss Black has been keeping more than one secret from her friends, family and the Wizarding World. It appears that seventeen years ago Miss Black gave birth to not one but two children. However, the existence of her son was never revealed. It seems that at birth the two babies were separated and, whilst Olivia stayed with her mother, her brother went with his father, Blaise Zabini._

"Shit!"

Blaise Zabini threw the paper down on his desk grinding his teeth furiously. He paced in front of it for a moment, glaring at the paper as though it might burst into flames if he stared hard enough. He stopped pacing and raked a hand through his dark brown hair before he picked up the _prophet_ one more, his blue eyes flying across the page. Underneath the headline was picture of Jacob looking solemn and moody. Beside it was a picture of Olly rolling her eyes and laughing. Merlin, she looked like her mother.

"Shit," Blaise swore again, "Kerr."

* * *

Kerr Black sighed running a hand through her black hair as she sat at her desk surrounded by paperwork. She clutched a quill in her right hand and tried to focus on the blank piece of parchment in front of her. She was supposed to be writing a report for the Minister of Magic about the type of curses that had been used on a muggle family in North Wales but all she could think about was the letter from her daughter that was currently sitting in the top drawer of her desk. She knew that she would have to write back today and tell Olly that she would come up to Hogwarts to see Blaise and finally meet her son, Jacob. She was still getting used to knowing his name.

Just then the door to her office swung open and Harry came into the room clutching the newspaper with Ron hot on his heels.

"Hey Harry, hey Ron," she greeted them brightly, "what's wrong?"

"This," said Harry darkly as he flung the _Daily Prophet _onto the desk in front of her. Kerr looked between Harry and Ron puzzled by their angry expressions before she picked up the paper. As she scanned the article her face slowly drained of colour making the livid red scar on the left side of her face stand out even more.

"It's true, isn't it?" said Harry as he watched Kerr turn white before his eyes. She looked up at him, her moss green eyes wild. She glanced back at the article at the picture of Jacob who looked so like his father that she felt her heart cringe in pain. She looked back up at Harry and Ron. She nodded, unable to speak.

"Merlin's beard!" exclaimed Ron. "You had a one night stand with Blaise Zabini? What in the name of Gryffindor were you thinking?"

Kerr couldn't answer. Her mouth felt dry and there was a lump in her throat which no amount of swallowing seemed to shift. Harry was still looking at her carefully and she found that she couldn't meet his gaze.

"How long?" Harry asked. "How long was it going on, Kerr?"

"You know that time I was dating a muggle?" Kerr whispered and both men nodded. "Well, there was no muggle."

Harry and Ron stared at her.

"Three years?" choked Ron.

Kerr nodded.

"How did you managed to conceal that from us for three years?" asked Harry. "Kerr, how did you manage to hide the fact that you have a son?"

Kerr glanced down at the article struggling to hold back the tears that were pricking at the corners of her eyes. Her own eyes looked back at her from the face of her son. It was very strange, seeing them side by side, even if it was only photographs.

"It was just too dangerous," she whispered almost to herself. "Blaise, he ... and I ... with our work ... and we were targets. I didn't mean ... our children ..."

Kerr stopped suddenly apparently aware that she had been babbling as though she had been force fed a babbling beverage. She looked up at the two men in front of her and then stood up abruptly.

"Look, I can explain all this later," she told them with some effort to be firm, "but I need to go to Hogwarts. Olly and ... and Jacob, they need the explanation more than you two do right now."

Kerr grabbed her cloak from the back of her chair and threw it round her shoulders.

"What do you want us to do about the press?" asked Harry frowning slightly.

Kerr's lips twitched momentarily.

"You're Harry Potter," she said, "distract them."

With that she swept from the room.

* * *

"You are seventeen years old, I thought I could expect more of you this year but obviously I was greatly mistaken. You would think that after so many years here at Hogwarts you would be able to put aside your prejudices and get along with the rest of your peers. I am terribly disappointed in you all."

James, Olly, Fred and Sage were all standing in the Headmistress's office in front of her desk as Professor McGonagall shouted at them. After being sorted out by Madam Pomfrey, Bletchley and Bole had immediately went to Professor McGonagall hence the reason that the four were now receiving a bollocking.

"And as for you Mr Zabini," Professor McGonagall turned to the last occupant of the room, "I hope you realise that your actions were unnecessary and they have caused you to receive your first detention in the seven years you have been at this school. I hope this impresses upon you the need to control your temper and to think first before you act, a lesson which these four have yet to learn. I shall be writing to each of your parents and explaining the incident in full."

"But professor ..." interrupted James thinking that this punishment was dreadfully unfair because as much as his father might not care his mother certainly would.

"No buts Mr Potter," Professor McGonagall turned her stern gaze on him. "I am severely disappointed that you, Mr Weasley, Mr Longbottom and Miss Black are unable to control yourselves."

"They provoked us, professor," complained Fred.

"Mr Weasley I do not care whether they provoked you or not," Professor McGonagall told him sternly. "For seven years the four of you have been getting into trouble for stupid pranks and for getting into duels. As if duels weren't bad enough the amount of times I've had to pull you in here, Miss Black, due to fist fighting like a muggle is disgraceful."

Professor McGonagall peered over her glasses as she looked round at the five students in front of her, all focusing determinedly on their feet.

"You four have been very quiet this year," she continued, her voice a little quieter now. "There have been no pranks, none of you have received a detention and you've all been studying harder." James and Fred exchanged puzzled looks. "To begin with I was worried wondering what on earth the four of you could have planned that would have made you so quiet at the beginning of the year. However, things remained quiet and, after some time, I came to the conclusion that the four of you had decided that, as this was your last year, you would study harder and achieve some good results in your N.E.. This incident, however, has set you back and I cannot believe that I took my eye off the four of you for a second. Just what do you have to say for yourselves?"

"Professor," said Jake calmly looking up at the Headmistress, "Bletchley and Bole attacked them first and insulted Olly's mother."

"Mr Zabini, with the rumours that have been flying around this school I am completely aware of the situation that you and Miss Black have found yourselves in but I refuse to let that be an excuse for the five of you to act so childishly. You will all be receiving detentions. I hope that before you leave this school I will not see you in this office again."

"Yes, Professor," they all murmured together.

"You're now free to leave except Miss Black and Mr Zabini," she continued rising from her chair. "Your parents shall be arriving here shortly and have requested to speak to you here. I will escort you three back to the Gryffindor Common Room."

Olly exchanged panicked looks with James, Fred and Sage but there was nothing the three boys could do but follow Professor McGonagall from the room. As the door shut behind them Olly turned to Jake.

"I have no idea what to ask them," she stressed.

"Don't worry, Olly," Jake told her calmly crossing the room to her. "We just need to ask them to tell their story and the reasons why the separated us."

Olly nodded.

"Maybe even ask them what happens now," he continued with a grin. Olly smiled back and nodded again brushing her hair back from her face. She took a deep breath and then breathed out again.

"I hope they'll get along," Olly commented to Jake as they waited, both their eyes flickering occasionally towards the door.

"Well, they got along pretty well once before," Jake reminded her in a teasing tone. Olly elbowed him.

"You know what I mean," Olly told him as Jake laughed rubbing his ribs where her elbow had connected with them.

"Yeah, I know," he agreed softly. "I hope they get along as well."

They stood in silence then until they heard the creak of the wooden door opening. They turned to look at the door to see Jake's father, Blaise Zabini, standing in the doorway, his dark brown hair looking as though he had run his hands through it repeatedly. The first thing that struck Olly was how alike Blaise and Jacob were. The only real difference between them was the eyes. They were both distractingly handsome with unkempt dark brown hair, an angular jaw and a knife edged nose. She found she couldn't tear her eyes away from him, her father, as he crossed the room and put his hand on Jake's shoulder.

"Are you all right?" he asked him in a low voice, his eyes, the eyes he had bestowed on her, intense.

"Yeah, dad, we're okay," Jake replied glancing at Olly. Blaise followed his glance and Olly watched as his eyes softened when they landed on her.

"Olivia," he breathed her name almost as though he had never spoken in before and Olly realised that it was probably the first time he had ever said her name out loud.

She watched him carefully as he crossed the room towards her. As he came closer she could see the odd line in his face and the few strands of grey in his otherwise dark hair. This was her father. It almost seemed unreal to her and her heart seemed to be pounding away in her chest like a hammer thudding at wood. She swallowed an action Blaise noticed because he stopped about a foot away from her.

"Actually," she said softly in a hesitant voice, "nobody really calls me Olivia unless I'm in trouble."

He smiled a little then, a wicked smile that made him look suddenly younger and she was suddenly aware that she smiled the same way, the way Jacob smiled.

"That's one of the first things your mother said to me when we first met," he told her gently. "You look a lot like her."

"Jake looks a lot like you," Olly replied.

Blaise's eyes swivelled round to his son who was standing slightly behind him to the left. Jake grinned a little and then moved forward to stand beside his father. Side by side the resemblance was almost startling.

"Probably a good thing," Blaise said gently looking back at her. "It's kept this secret under wraps for this long."

Olly glanced at Jake who looked back at her with worry in his eyes. They had both seen the _Daily Prophet_ that morning and had spent the last two days avoiding the rest of the students who were just dying to question them about being related.

"We're sorry," Olly told him. "We didn't mean for the _Daily Prophet _to get a hold of it. We didn't mean to tell anybody."

"Look, I understand," Blaise said looking between the two of them. "It was bound to get out some time. The important thing is that you both ..."

"Blaise."

The voice, soft as a whisper of wind, made them all look round. There by the door stood Kerr still in her black travelling cloak. She was deathly pale, her black hair a mess around her face, her eyes watching Blaise intently.

"Kerr."

Olly felt as though she was intruding. The room was desperately tense as Blaise and Kerr stared at each other for what seemed like forever. She could see her mother's left hand twitching which meant she was upset and nervous. A quiver seemed to be running through the muscles of Blaise's arms as though the tension was too much for him. Suddenly, her mother looked at her.

"Olly," she said striding into the room. "Is everything okay?"

Olly nodded her eyes flickering to where Blaise was standing. The smile was gone now, replaced by a frown. Olly followed his line of sight and saw that he was looking at the livid red scar that ran down the left side of her mother's face.

"Kerr," he said her name gently, "where, in the name of Salazar, did you get that?"

Kerr's hand immediately went to her left temple to feel the scar under her fingertips. She looked at Blaise and sighed a little.

"About fourteen years ago," Kerr told him. "I keep the other side of my face towards the cameras nowadays."

"That's not what I asked," Blaise reminded her. "Who gave it to you?"

"Do we have to do this right now, Blaise?"

"Of course we do," he told her a steely note in his voice. "You never learn do you?"

"Did I ever?" she asked him.

Blaise sighed and then shook his head.

"No," he answered her gently, the steely edge now gone.

Olly watched her mum as she looked at Blaise and there was something in her eyes that Olly couldn't quite read. Her mother never looked at anyone else like that though.

"Mum," she said, unhappy about interrupting, "this is Jake."

Kerr immediately glanced round to where Olly was gesturing and her eyes seemed to light up as they landed on Jake. She smiled a little, just a small twitching at the corner of her mouth.

"Jake," she said softly as her eyes travelled over the length of him, taking in every little detail from his eyes right down to the way he stood. Olly looked at Jake as he watched her mother through careful eyes. He seemed just as unsure as she did.

"Well," said Kerr in what Olly's called her "business" voice, "I'm sure you two have a lot of questions to ask us."

She glanced at Blaise for a moment.

"We just want to know the story," Jake told her.

Blaise sighed a little and Kerr gave him a rueful smile.

"Do you want to start?" she asked him.

"No, you start."

Kerr nodded and then turned back to look at Olly and Jake.

"We first met at the age of sixteen. I came to Hogwarts, the first school I had ever been to. You see, Jake, I spent the previous fifteen years of my life on the run with my mother. We lived all over the place, among muggles but when the Order of the Phoenix was reformed by mother decided it was time we came home. So I came to Hogwarts where I met Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and your father."

She glanced at Blaise.

"I was in Slytherin," Blaise continued, "and more than surprised when your mother decided to speak to me. After all, Gryffindors and Slytherins just didn't get on. We became friends, after a fashion, or at least, I teased her and more often than not she laughed at me. It wasn't until the final battle that we really became anything more."

Kerr swallowed a little glancing at Blaise.

"When the battle had finally ended and Voldemort was dead, your father and I sought comfort in each other's arms, a way to forget."

"You ran away the next morning," Blaise reminded her gently.

"I did," Kerr told Jake and Olly. "I started training to be an Auror and buried myself in work for four years until one day I had to attend a fundraiser organised by Hermione in order to raise money for Azkaban."

"You have to understand," explained Blaise, "that the Wizarding world was still raw from the last war. There were still a great many problems, dementors running loose, death eaters still around and objects enchanted with dark magic cropping up all over the place. I was an Unspeakable with the Ministry whilst your mother was an Auror."

"We met again at the Fundraiser and that's where it all began."

"But you were married," Jake accused Blaise.

Blaise sighed and slid a glance over to Kerr who bit her bottom lip slightly.

"I know," he conceded, "but it didn't matter to me. I loved your mother. I would have given anything for her."

"Then why didn't you divorce your wife?" asked Olly her eyes flickering between her mother and Blaise.

"Olly," Kerr claimed her attention, "you have to understand that, Blaise and I ... we didn't lead normal lives by any stretch of the imagination."

"I'm the son of a Death Eater," Blaise explained, "a Slytherin pureblood who turned my back on the Dark Lord and his followers. I married the daughter of Death Eaters because of my mother's insistence and you know that your grandparents have never been to Azkaban."

Jake nodded a frown creasing his brow.

"It was too dangerous for Blaise to leave his wife because his marriage to her was the only thing keeping him alive at the time. I was a target myself and even when the Death Eaters became fewer and fewer in number, all those who sought to become the new Dark Lord wanted us dead. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and I all became massive targets. We were war heroes and taking us out would have rocketed their supremacy all the faster."

"Even I was a target," Blaise continued. "As an Unspeakable I work on many of the projects your mother works on, just in a different area. I am very good at my job, I'm now head of my department, but back then I was a target."

"We used to meet as often as we could. We went on holiday together and scared the life out of my friends because I didn't tell them I was going. We kept it a secret, not only because Blaise was married but because it was too dangerous with all the dark wizards out there."

"I didn't want Daphne to get hurt either."

"But Harry and Ginny and Ron and Hermione were all together," reasoned Olly with a frown. "Surely they were targets as well."

"Yes," Kerr agreed, "but Harry and Ginny were married and Ron and Hermione soon followed them. Your father and I were having an affair, a dangerous affair that could have gotten us both killed."

"When your mother became pregnant with you both," Blaise decided to breach the subject, "we decided it would be safer to split you up because that way no one would know and you would be safe. I persuaded Daphne to accept you as her son, Jake. I never told her who your mother was."

"Why was it safer?" asked Jake with a quick glance at Olly.

"Well," Kerr said hesitantly glancing at Blaise, "at the time you were born there was rise of Dark Magic in the West Country, a new dark wizard was looking around for a foothold. We were worried that he might try and prove himself. If he had taken you, even just one of you, it would have put the whole Auror office and Unspeakable office in his control. He was easily rooted out but we still faced the problems of old Death Eaters looking for revenge."

"I was really lucky at the time," Blaise told them. "Daphne was very much in love with me back then. She would have protected me from anything and so she took you Jake, to protect me from her family, and pretended that you were hers."

"What happened dad?" Jake asked.

"I couldn't forgive her," Blaise told him in a quiet voice looking down at his fingernails. "It's my fault that our relationship is the way it is. I couldn't forgive her for not being you."

He looked up at Kerr then and again Olly felt as though she were intruding on some kind of private meeting. The feeling in the room was intense but not like the tension it was earlier. The air was still tense but with a passionate undercurrent. Their eyes seemed to speak volumes to each other, like they could live an entire lifetime in one glance. Kerr smiled a little before she looked back at Jake and Olly.

"We never wanted to have to separate the two of you," she told them in a quiet voice, "but we couldn't take the chance that something might happen to you because we had been selfish enough to stay together. Maybe one day you'll forgive us."

"Oh mum," said Olly, "there's nothing to forgive. We've just really needed to know why."

Jake nodded in agreement.

"The big question is," he added, "is what happens now?"

Blaise looked at Kerr just then and she shook her head.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I don't know where we go from here."

"I've missed you," Blaise told her then, in a voice so soft Olly and Jake could barely hear it.

"I've missed you too," she mouthed back and the emotion in her eyes was indescribable.

"Maybe it's time we talked," Blaise told her in a louder voice.

She nodded in agreement.

"Blaise Zabini," shouted a voice just then and the four occupants of McGonagall's office whipped round to see a gorgeous, blonde haired woman standing in the open doorway with outrage on her face.

"Merlin's ball, its Daphne," murmured Jake out of the corner of his mouth to Olly who had been completely confused by this appearance. Daphne Greengrass Zabini stalked into the room obviously furious.

"Daphne, what are you doing here?" Blaise asked his wife coolly.

"I saw the _prophet_," she shouted, "so I went to your work to have it out with you but they told me you were here. Well, well, well, Kerr Black, I'd never have thought you'd have it off with a blood traitor, Blaise."

"It's nothing to do with you, Daphne," Blaise told her in with a warning note in his voice.

"Nothing to do with me," Daphne screeched. "All these years, I've been playing mother to _her_ son."

"Jake, Olly, maybe you should leave," said Kerr quietly.

"Why should they leave, eh, Black? Why shouldn't they stay and witness this love triangle?"

"It's hardly a love triangle, Greengrass," Kerr replied coldly. "I'm in love with Blaise and Blaise is in love with me. You never figured in anywhere."

"Funny that since I'm the one with the wedding ring," Daphne shrieked back at her.

"Come on, Jake," Olly said to her brother and they began to edge for the door.

"Where do you think you are going?" Daphne rounded on Olly. "I've always wondered who your father was. I never entertained in my head for one second that it was my husband who fathered you."

Kerr stepped in between Olly and Daphne her wand now in her hand.

"You stay away from my children," Kerr growled ferociously like a mother tiger defending her cubs.

"You were perfectly happy to let me raise your son," Daphne yelled. "It wasn't enough to steal my husband but you had to send your son to live under my nose, a constant reminder of his infidelity."

"Daphne, calm down," Blaise told her firmly. "You're over-reacting."

"Over-reacting, am I? Tell me Blaise, what part of this am I supposed to take calmly? I can't believe you were cheating on me with this."

Daphne gestured wildly at Kerr.

"I never meant to hurt you, Daphne," Blaise told her calmly.

"You never meant to hurt me? Well, a damn fine job you've done of it. You were always so hard to please at school. When did you let your standards drop? Or have you always just had a taste for sluts?"

"Don't you talk about Kerr like that, Daphne," Blaise growled at her drawing him up to his full height. Olly noticed the similarities between him and Jake. Blaise was quite intimidating.

"Jake, Olly," whispered Kerr, "get out of here."

"Why shouldn't I talk about her like that?" Daphne was shrieking as Jake grabbed Olly and hurtled towards the door. "I'm only telling the truth. She obviously can't get a boyfriend so she seduces married men to get her kicks."

Jake and Olly didn't hear the reply to that statement as they rocketed down the winding steps and practically exploded out into the corridor. Jake let go of Olly's hand and looked at her a faintly amused expression on his face.

"Well, I never knew Daphne could be that loud."

"She's was pretty upset," Olly said glancing at the staircase behind her.

"I don't know why," Jake told her shrugging. "It's not like she loves dad any more. The only person she really loves nowadays is Kaiya."

"Urgh! I can't believe she's my half sister."

"I'm delighted she's my half sister," Jake responded his wicked grin edging up his face. "I couldn't understand how on earth we were related before."

Olly laughed.

"So, what do you think will happen now?" she asked him when she had finished laughing.

"No idea," he told her honestly. "We'll just have to wait and see what the outcome of their talk is. That is if Daphne doesn't murder them both first."

They both laughed together as they made their way up the corridor.

"Do you know you're heading for the Gryffindor common room?" asked Olly after a moment aware that Jake hadn't immediately headed off in the direction of his own common room.

"Yeah," he replied. "I'll walk you back. I don't even know where the Gryffindor common room is and it might be handy to know if I want to speak to my sister."

"Oh, well, I know where the Slytherin common room is," she informed him. "So you won't need to show me where it is."

"How do you know where the Slytherin common room is?"

Olly looked at him guiltily.

"Well, I'm friends with Alex and Eric. That and James, Fred, Sage and I played that prank on you lot last year."

Jake stopped walking.

"You mean that was you lot that let off all those sense abductors."

Olly nodded with a broad grin on her face.

"We lost loads of points because the entire house was late for lessons," Jake told her.

"We know. It was kind of hilarious."

Jake started walking again.

"I can't believe that was you four."

"Believe, bro," she told him as they nearer the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Now, I'm not going to be silly enough to let you hear the password just in case you, Alex and Eric decide to get us back."

Jake rolled his eyes.

"Don't worry," he told her. "I don't think we'll be doing anything that crazy with our exams coming up."

"Yeah, I've got the test for my animagus transformation the week before the exams as well. I'd better go and do some more study. I'd probably better study for my other subjects too or Sage might just murder me."

Jake laughed.

"All right, then. I'll see you later."

"Bye."

Olly watched him walk away a little before she turned towards the portrait door to the Gryffindor common room.

"Hey Olly," Jake's voice called to her and she turned round to look at him. "I'm really glad you're my sister."

Olly smiled.

"The feeling's mutual, Jake," she called back. He then waved at her before he disappeared round the corner. Olly waved back and then turned back to the Fat Lady.

"Password?" the Fat Lady asked peering down at Olly.

"Gillyweed."

"Correct."

The Fat Lady swung open and allowed Olly admittance into the Gryffindor common room. She immediately located James, Fred and Sage sitting in the couches by the fireplace with Roxanne, Lily, Albus, Rose, Lucy and Hugo. They all looked up at her as she came bounding over with a massive smile on her face.

"It went well then?" said Sage with a smile.

"Yeah, Blaise and mum explained everything and then Daphne showed up and the three of them are currently having a massive fight in McGonagall's office," Olly cut the long story short.

"So all in all an interesting day," said James with a grin. "First we're bombarded with people wanting to know if the report in the _Daily Prophet_ is true, then we're hauled into McGonagall's office with Jake for a bollocking and to receive detentions and now your parents are having a duel with your dad's wife in the Headmistress's office."

"That about sums up our day," agreed Sage as he played with a lock of Roxy's hair.

"So what happens now?" Fred curiously as Olly slid into James' lap.

"Not sure," Olly told them. "Mum and Blaise are going to have a talk and then we'll see."

"What about you and Jake?" asked Rose curiously.

Olly looked down at her and smiled the wicked smile she had inherited from her father.

"Jake's my brother," she told her, "and that's the way it's going to stay."

* * *

_Here's chapter twenty for you folks.  
I think there'll only be one more left to go.  
Who knows, there might be two.  
I hope you enjoyed this chapter.  
I hope it was realistic.  
The next chapter will be with you shortly.  
I'm aiming to have this completed by the 20th.  
Wish me luck._

_Kerr X._


	21. Knock Them Dead

Before they knew it the final Quidditch match of the year was upon them. James was torn halfway between extremely excited and extremely nervous. Scouts from several of Britain's top Quidditch teams were going to be present at the match including a scout for Puddlemere United and James was determined that the team was going to shine. Olly and Fred found themselves subjected to early morning practices at ridiculous hours and bombardments from James about what he was planning to do at the next practice, even Sage was given a blow by blow account of what he was going to have to say during the final Quidditch match. Eventually, Olly, Fred and Sage had to take James aside to speak to him.

"You need to calm down, mate," Fred told him with an affectionate grin. "We're all excited about the match but one, we need some sleep, and two you're getting everyone else all nervous about the match. We need everyone to focus and keep everyone calm."

"I just need everyone to play the best game ever," James defended himself. "There are going to scouts there from all the major teams and it could seriously be a big break for anyone on the team if someone likes the look of a particular player."

"We know love," Olly told him ruffling his hair, "but we'll hardly play our best game if we're all completely exhausted."

"Look, James," said Sage seriously leaning forward from where he sat on the coffee table, "I don't even play Quidditch and I am exhausted with all the early morning Quidditch practices and the incessant talk about strategies. Calm down and stop worrying so much. When has your team ever let you down before?"

James looked at his hands clasped in front of him. He was sitting on one of the couches by the fireplace with Olly on his left, Fred on his right and Sage opposite them. He felt a little like he was going to be sick and had been feeling that way for days. He supposed that he was just very nervous. If the team played well then maybe he would get the chance to play for his favourite team and become an internationally known Quidditch player. He could see where the other three were coming from. They had their Newts to study for as well and Olly had the extra pressure of having her animagus transformation attempt the week after the match.

"We've played two amazing games this year mate," Fred told James comfortingly. "There is no way, Olly and I, or the rest of the team, are going to let you down. The Puddlemere United scout isn't going to know what hit him, unless it's a bludger. I would not advise hitting a bludger in his direction."

"Fred," sighed Sage slowly shaking his head, "you are absolutely no help at all."

"What have I done now?" Fred asked indignantly.

"Talking about hitting the scout with a bludger is hardly the best way to keep James calm, now is it?" Sage elaborated.

"I was only kidding."

"It's all right, Sage," James assured him. "I'm not going to freak out and start worrying about hitting scouts with bludgers. It's a hazard of the game."

"Good," said Olly with a grin. "Now you just need to calm down and stop running us into the ground. I'm never going to be able to study for exams let alone for the animagus transformation if you keep charging us up to the Quidditch pitch every two minutes."

James smiled at her as little as she rubbed her right hand vigorously over his shoulders as though trying to comfort him from some reason.

"All right, you three," he conceded with a grin glancing round his best friends, "I'll calm down."

James did calm down for James, at least. Practices weren't as early, maybe half an hour later than before and he didn't talk about Quidditch all day, there was maybe two hours in which he concentrated on studying but on the whole the team had to admit that James had calmed down. However, as the day grew near he became more and more tense, snapping at the smallest thing just like Sage as the exams got closer. Olly and Fred felt at the wits end trying to keep the two of them calm. It was lucky that the Quidditch match would shortly be over.

* * *

The day of the Quidditch final eventually arrived for which Olly and Fred were extremely thankful. James was the picture of utmost calm as they headed to the Great Hall where they were cheered loudly by not only the Gryffindors but also the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. All the Slytherin's apart from Jake, Alex and Eric studiously ignored them. Olly couldn't help grinning broadly when Jake came running over to hug her enthusiastically and wish her luck.

James spent all of breakfast encouraging the rest of his team to eat whilst touching nothing himself. Olly tried to tempt him with some poached eggs but he flatly refused. His stomach was churning, round and round, making him feel sicker than he had done in weeks. As soon as the others had finished he marched them down to the Quidditch pitch to check out the flying conditions.

"No wind," said Sage with a grin as he squeezed Roxy's hand. "That'll be good."

"Yeah but no cloud coverage either," James groaned a little shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun. "Make sure you fly out of it or you won't be able to see a thing."

"Maybe we should all wear some sunglasses," laughed Olly receiving strange looks from the members of the team who had never heard of sunglasses.

"Good conditions over all though mate," said Fred clapping James on the back. "It could be worse."

"Yeah," agreed Albus. "Could be like last year's final, you know, pissing with rain and the wind howling all round us. I could barely stay on my broom."

James smiled at that.

"I suppose you're right," he said and then cast his eyes up to the castle where he could see brightly coloured robes of the students heading down towards the Quidditch pitch. "Come on, changing room."

The Gryffindor team tripped off the pitch into the changing room whilst Sage ambled over towards the commentator's box where he would be shortly joined by his father. Olly and Fred kept two worried eyes on James at all times as he quietly changed into his Quidditch robes. There wasn't the usual amount of noise. In fact, there was barely any noise at all. James didn't even make his customary speech but instead just nodded at everyone once as though they could read his mind.

"Ok," James said eventually his voice very quiet, "it's time."

Olly slipped her hand into James' as they walked out onto the Quidditch pitch to turbulent noise. Students were cheering them loudly from the stands brandishing banners with slogans such as "Gryffindors for Gold" and "Let the Lions Roar". The Slytherin contingent was also sporting banners and looks of grim determination. Olly felt James' hand tighten on her own unconsciously as they strode out over the pitch.

"Here are the Gryffindors," called out Sage. "Potter, Potter, Potter, Weasley, Weasley, Black and Wood. The seven of them have already played two amazing games this year. Now, here comes the Slytherin team, Flint, Malfoy, Warrington, Nott, Gaffney, Montague and Flint."

James let go of Olly's as he moved forward to shake hands with Alexander Flint. James felt as though he had jaw lock and Flint didn't look much better. They grasped hands tightly for a moment with only a sharp nod of acknowledgement before they let go and returned to their teams.

At the sound of Madam Aaro's whistle the teams mounted their brooms and the crowd cheered as the fourteen brooms rose into the air. James clutched his beater's bat tightly in his hand, his eyes flickering over each of the Slytherin's before he looked round at the pale faces of his own team. Albus nodded at him once and then sped off in search of the snitch with Flint's little sister, Heather on his tail.

"And it's Gryffindor with the Quaffle, Lily Potter of Gryffindor with the Quaffle, heading straight for the Slytherin goalposts. Watch out – the Quaffle is intercepted by Warrington, Warrington of Slytherin whizzing up the pitch – BAM! – brilliant bludger work there by James Potter, Warrington loses the Quaffle, it's caught by Black, Gryffindor back in possession, come on, Olly – neat swerve round Nott and a nice duck to avoid the Bludger smacked her way by Gaffney – SHE SCORES! TEN – ZERO TO GRYFFINDOR!"

James smiled a little as he watched Olly punched the air as she flew past the sea of scarlet robes that was the Gryffindor supporters that were screaming in delight. James battered a Bludger away from Wood towards Malfoy who neatly dodged it and then turned to see where it had come from.

"Don't think we'll make it easy on you just because you're dating my cousin," James called to him jubilantly and Scorpius rolled his eyes before flying off to tackle Roxanne who was now in possession of the Quaffle.

"It's Gryffindor in possession, Weasley is heading up the pitch with Malfoy right beside her, _duck Roxy, that's a Bludger_ –"

In the nick of time Roxanne managed to avoid the Bludger but Scorpius wasn't so lucky. It caught him in the shoulder and as the Gryffindor contingent cheered James could see from his position that there was a look of terror on Rose's face. He glanced at Scorpius to check he was all right and then flew off to protect Al from the Bludger that Flint had knocked his way.

"That's Weasley heading for the Slytherin goalposts, Nott is trying to catch her up but Potter – that's Lily Potter – is giving her plenty of support. Weasley passes to Potter – Potter scores! Twenty – zero to Gryffindor."

James couldn't help but smile as he thumped another Bludger away from Olly who gave him a fleeting grin as she sped off to take the Quaffle off Scorpius. A Bludger zoomed past James and crashed into Warrington's broom. James turned round to see Fred grinning broadly from ear to ear.

"And its Gryffindor in possession as Black takes the Quaffle from Malfoy – Nott flying alongside her – oh no – Nott takes possession, he puts on the breaks – he's flying towards the Gryffindor goalposts, come on now, Wood –"

But Nott had scored; the Slytherin supporters erupted into cheers and Sage swore loudly causing his father to smack him over the head and Professor McGonagall to raise a disapproving eyebrow.

"Sorry, dad," grumbled Sage making most of the crowd laugh. "So Gryffindor in the lead – twenty points to ten and Slytherin are in possession – a well aimed Bludger from Captain James Potter causes Warrington to drop the Quaffle – Lily Potter is now in possession – she passes to Black –"

The next minute James was outraged as Gaffney swung his bat to make contact with Olly's shoulder. He furiously battered a Bludger towards the offending Slytherin which narrowly missed Madam Aaro as she blew her whistle for a penalty. James was extremely pleased to see Flint screaming at Gaffney as well. Montague, however, managed to save the penalty and the game continued.

"Slytherin in possession, Nott with the Quaffle – Nott passes to Malfoy – he's heading for the Gryffindor goalposts, can Wood save it? YES! – a spectacular save from Wood and it's Gryffindor back in possession – Weasley with the Quaffle and she's streaking up to the Slytherin goalposts – she passes to Black – Warrington of Slytherin is closing in – Black passes back to Weasley – Weasley beats the keeper – SHE SCORES! Thirty – ten to Gryffindor."

James flew up to intercept a Bludger heading towards Albus.

"Seen it yet?" James called to his brother as he smacked the Bludger towards Flint.

"Not a glimmer," Albus responded glumly as his eyes swept the pitch. James glanced at Heather Flint who was hovering not that far away, also watching for the snitch.

Olly scored. Forty – ten. James streaked off to blast a Bludger away from her and Fred was swooping around his sister who was now in possession of the Quaffle, watching out carefully. Gaffney took advantage of their absence to aim a Bludger at Wood; it caught him in the stomach and completely winded him. Madam Aaro was furious.

"_If the Quaffle is not within the scoring area you cannot attack the keeper!" _she shrieked at Gaffney. "Penalty to Gryffindor."

And Lily scored. Fifty – ten. Moments later, Fred pelted a Bludger at Warrington, knocking the Quaffle out of his hands; Roxy seized it and put it through the Slytherin goal: sixty – ten.

but the Snitch had still not put in an appearance. James glanced at his brother who was flying around his eyes sweeping over everything. Heather Flint was shadowing him cautiously, keeping her own eyes peeled from the Snitch. James put his head back in the game just in time to intercept a Bludger heading towards Wood.

"Slytherin in possession, Slytherin heading for the goal – Malfoy scores –" groaned Sage. "Sixty – twenty to Gryffindor ..."

James glanced towards the stands where the Professor were sitting for the first time, feeling his nerves were under control enough to be able to look at the scouts. There were several people he didn't recognise in the stand but he did recognise the Puddlemere United scout with the fair hair and vacant-looking expression. Also in the stand, his heart skipped a beat, sitting side by side were his parents both wearing delighted expressions. James' face split into a huge smile as he darted back into the game to protect Lily from a Bludger.

"Roxanne Weasley gets the Quaffle for Gryffindor, come on Roxy, darling, COME ON!"

Fred swooped in to pelt a Bludger away from Roxy.

"SHE SCORES! SHE SCORES!" yelled Sage beside himself with delight and pride. "Well done, you beauty. Just you wait until this game is over. I'm going to give it to you!"

"SAGE!" yelled Neville in shock as crowd chuckled.

"A big kiss, dad," Sage tried to pacify his father.

Nobody was paying attention to them any more though as Albus suddenly started streaking towards the Slytherin stands with Heather Flint right on his tail. The acceleration of Al's broom blew James away as his brother streaked past him in a blur. James whacked a bludger towards Heather Flint but missed by several inches. He could hear the crowd's silence as they seemed to hold their breath. Silently he prayed that Al would catch the Snitch as he flew off to smack a Bludger away from Wood.

"Come on, Al," shouted James and Wood together after James had diverted the Bludger and they both turned to watched Al. He was right in front of the Slytherins now, diving towards the crowd. James couldn't breathe as he searched for the Snitch himself. He couldn't see it but he watched his brother's outstretched hand as it closed and then Al pulled up.

"YES!"

The Gryffindor supporters exploded as Al soared triumphantly above them. James and Wood exchanged delighted looks before the both head off in Al's direction just like the rest of the team. They all converged around Al, shouting in triumph. Fred was thumping everyone on the back as they all slowly headed down to the ground.

Wave after wave of scarlet clad supporters poured onto the pitch. Hands were clapping almost every part of him and James couldn't help but grin weakly at all those around him. A small hand slipped into his and squeezed his hand very tightly. James squeezed back knowing it was Olly even though he couldn't see her for the mass of bodies. Suddenly, he was thrust into the light as he and the team were hoisted up by the crowd. He could see Roxy sitting on Sage's shoulders covering his forehead in kisses and Sage grinning up at her in delight. James wanted to call out to the team, to tell them how thrilled he was but over the noise he couldn't. He was borne off towards the stands, where McGonagall stood waiting with his parents beside the enormous Quidditch Cup.

James wished the moment could last forever ... As his father passed him the cup, glowing with pride, as he raised the cup in the air with Olly tucked under his arm, James felt like there was no better feeling in the world.

* * *

The euphoria over winning the Quidditch Cup lasted about two days before exams were almost upon them. Sage studied every minute of the day that he could seem to spare even through his meals. James and Fred wanted nothing more than to flop out by the lake as the sun beat down but they couldn't and instead had to stay inside and study. Olly was more frantic that the rest of them with her animagus transformation attempt up the week before the exams she was rarely seen with her head out of a transfiguration book. Sage tried to encourage her to study for her other exams but Olly had told him, quite firmly, that she could cram for her other subjects once the animagus transformation was over.

The day of Olly's animagus transformation attempt soon arrived. James got out of bed sharpish and pulled Fred and Sage out with him. They waited in the common room quietly until a pale Olly came down the stairs from the girl's dormitories.

"Good Luck, Olly," Sage said pulling her into a hug.

"You'll be brilliant," Fred told her clapping her on the shoulder.

James just smiled and hugged her. She was shaking a little and as James pulled away he rubbed her arms in comfort.

"Let's get some breakfast in you," James told with a soft smile as he took her hand.

They left the Gryffindor common room to find Jake Zabini standing out in the corridor waiting for them an anxious expression on his face.

"Hey Olly."

"Jake," said Olly darting forward and hugging her brother tightly. Jake squeezed her back.

"Hey, what are you worrying for?" he asked her as she pulled back from him. "You'll be fine."

Olly nodded wordlessly as she stepped back from Jake. James took her hand once more.

"Hey Jake," he said with a grin squeezing Olly's hand gently, "are you having breakfast with us?"

Jake seemed to consider it for a moment before he glanced at Olly's pale face once more. He nodded.

"Sure. Why not?"

Breakfast was a quiet affair to begin with. Olly didn't have much stomach for food but with a lot of coaxing from the four boys she managed a piece of toast. However, as more people flooded into the Great Hall for breakfast, Olly found herself bombarded by good luck wishes from nearly everyone. Flint and Nott came over to wish her luck and looked at queerly at Zabini who was sitting on Olly's left at the Gryffindor table calmly eating breakfast. They weren't the only ones either.

"Miss Black."

Olly, James and Jake all looked round to see Professor McGonagall and Professor Frobisher standing behind them. Olly swallowed slightly.

"It's time," Professor Frobisher said with a kindly smile.

Olly nodded and got to her feet.

"You'll be fine," Jake told her.

"Good Luck, Olly," said Sage and Fred echoed him.

"Knock them dead, darling," James whispered in her ear as he stood up beside her and then kissed her gently on the cheek.

Olly smiled round at her friends and then followed the Professors out of the hall. James sat back down next Jake with a frown on his face.

"Don't worry, James, man," said Jake with a smile. "She'll be great."

"I know," James replied. "It's just ... well, it's a very risky transformation. I just worry about her."

"She'll be fine, James," Sage told him as Jake clapped James on the shoulder. Fred laughed.

"What's with you?" asked James looking up at the guffawing Weasley.

"It's just strange to see you being comforted by a Slytherin," Fred told him. "What is the world coming to?"

* * *

After breakfast James, Sage, Fred and Jake decided to head down to the lake. Jake wasn't allowed in the Gryffindor common room so it was the most obvious place to wait for Olly. They didn't remain idle. Sage asked Jake to quiz him for Potions and Fred helped James with studying for Charms. The sun blazed down on the four of them as they studied and James briefly wished he could take time out to mimic the Giant Squid who was floating lazily on the surface of the lake, basking in the sunshine.

Two hours later when Sage was quizzing Jake for Herebology and James helped Fred study for Defence Against the Dark Arts Olly arrived looking a little pink and out of breath. She came running down the slope, her hair flying out behind her. She stopped by the four boys who were lying on the grass and they all looked up at her blinking from the sun's rays.

"I've been looking all over for you four," Olly told them with a smile.

"How did it go?" James asked anxiously jumping to his feet.

"Well, you don't have any fur so it must have gone well," observed Sage as he, Jake and Fred slowly picked themselves up from the ground.

"So how did it go?" Jake echoed James.

Olly smiled coyly at all of them and then closed her eyes. The four boys watched in awe as she frowned a little and began to concentrate. The air around Olly seemed to shimmer and her body quivered. She seemed to blur at the edges slightly and then she was shrinking, moving forward and there in her place was sleek, black, panther with blue eyes. The four boys stared at the panther now standing where Olly had been standing.

The panther growled and the four boys cheered.

* * *

_Okay so this isn't the final chapter.  
There is one more chapter to go.  
I will be writing that over the next two days.  
I hope you liked this chapter.  
And I hope you'll be pleased that there is still one more to go.  
As always it'll make my day if you click that review button  
&& leave me your thoughts.  
Much love._

_Kerr x._


	22. We Had To Go Out With A Bang

_This chapter is dedicated to you  
for sticking with  
_**James, Fred, Sage & Olly  
**_until the very end._

* * *

Olly was thrilled about her successful pass of the Animagus transformation and occasionally students would see the huge black, panther prowling the corridors of Hogwarts normally accompanied by James, Sage and Fred. However, with the exams now upon them the four Gryffindors spent a lot of their time studying. Olly coached the boys on Transfiguration, James helped with Defence Against the Dark Art, Sage drilled in Herebology and Fred went over Charms. The four even found themselves in the library with Jake, Flint and Nott, all of them studying together. Flint and Nott studied for Care of Magical Creatures whilst the other five studied for Potions. James, Sage and Fred were rather surprised by just how well they got on with the two Slytherins. Olly's face seemed to always hold a coy smile when they studied together.

As hard as they crammed though nothing really prepared them for the beginning of the exams. The nerves had really set in for all the seventh years and with the fifth years doing their Owls the common room was full with the sound of rustling papers and furious scratching of quills. Sage was constantly on edge as was Roxy. James wasn't as nervous about the exams as he had been about the final Quidditch match and Olly wasn't as nervous as she had been about her Animagus test. The two of them even found themselves helping out James' little cousin Lucy with her studying for her Owls.

The Sunday before the start of the exams found Olly, James, Fred and Sage having breakfast at the Gryffindor table in complete silence. Sage and James were both reading Advanced Potion Making, Fred was going over some old Potions notes that Sage had taken and Olly had her nose stuck in a huge black book that she had borrowed from the library. Roxy was sitting next to Sage rifling through sheets of notes looking for something. Up and down the tables other students were doing the same things. None of them even looked up when the owls began to arrive until an unfamiliar owl dropped a letter in front of James.

"Who is that from?" asked Sage curiously peering over his book to look at James.

James shrugged as he picked up the letter for the table. Olly looked over James' shoulder as he turned over the letter to look at the seal on the back. He cracked the seal and opened the letter. From over the table Sage, Fred and Roxy all watched as James' eyes widened in surprise and shock.

"Godric, James!" exclaimed Olly grabbing James round the neck and hugging him tightly to her.

"What is it?" asked Fred.

James seemed unable to speak as he glanced up at Fred and then looked back at the letter.

"James, don't keep us waiting," said Roxy frowning a little wondering what on earth could have made James so speechless and made Olly so excited for him.

James swallowed.

"It's a request to attend a tryout for Puddlemere United," James told them disbelivingly.

Fred, Sage and Roxy all stared at him for a moment and then erupted into cheering.

"Well done, Jamesie boy," shouted Fred jubilantly reaching out over the table to ruffle James' hair. Olly hugged James again and Sage shook his hand vigorously. Roxy called down the table to the other members of them family and soon they were converging on James congratulating him and thumping him on the back. Hugo was particularly elated as Puddlemere United was also the team he supported much to his father's disgust.

"Well done, James," they all chorused completely unaware of the attention they were receiving from everyone else in the Great Hall.

"At the very least," Fred shouted over the chaos, "it's put us on a high note for the beginning of exams."

* * *

The first exam on Monday morning was Potions. Each of the five core subjects were set on different days. Potions was on Monday with Divination, Charms on Tuesday along with Arithmancy and History of Magic, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies were on Wednesday, Herebology, Ancient Runes and Care of Magical Creatures on Thursday and, last but not least, Transfiguration on Friday along with Astrology. This meant that James, Olly, Sage and Fred had one exam a day which was a great relief to them. The idea of having two exams on the one day had been worrying them all just a little.

With the Potions exam first thing on Monday morning James, Olly, Sage and Fred were extremely quiet at breakfast and even Fred didn't seem to be able to stomach his food. Instead he slowly pushed in round his plate looking rather pale. When breakfast was finished, the Great Hall was cleared and the seventh years waited nervously in the Entrance Hall for the exam. The Gryffindor four quickly found themselves grouped with Jake, Alex and Eric. They didn't really speak as they waited, all too nervous to make small talk, even Fred, famous for his nervous chattering, was quiet.

All too soon the doors were reopened and the seventh years trooped into the Great Hall which now had several single desks with chairs placed a meter apart lining the Hall.

"Good Luck, everyone," whispered Olly.

"Good Luck," they whispered back.

They split up then and took their seats at individual tables. The only things on the desks were an inkwell and some blank parchment. James slid into the seat behind Olly and took his brand new quill from his pocket which he had bought in anticipation of the exams. He looked at the inkwell and the parchment before he glanced up to see Olly shaking out her black mane. He smiled a little. Olly looked as though she was completely unfazed about the exam but James knew she was just as nervous as he was.

"Your exam begins now," announced Professor Vaisey who was standing at the front of tables. He waved his wand and that exam papers on the table behind him zoomed out to each table. James picked his up the moment it hit the table and turned it over with a sigh.

Question one: Explain the properties of the Blood Replenishing Potion.

* * *

The exams were as promised Nastily Exhausting. There seemed to be no let up between studying and actually sitting the exam. Even when one exam was finished the seventh years immediately began to study for their next exam. It was worse for those that had two or even three exams in the one day. For James, Olly, Fred and Sage their last exam, Transfiguration, was Friday morning. James was so glad to finally see the end. Sage had been so tense that it had been giving James a headache. Once the Transfiguration exam was over and Sage had been reassured that he had done all he could then they could relax.

"Stop writing, please," Professor Frobisher called and James gave a sigh as he set his quill aside. He had done what he could and he felt that he had done pretty well. As his paper zoomed off his desk James stowed his quill in his pocket and pushed his chair back. He quickly joined Sage, Olly and Fred as they exited the Great Hall with smiles of relief plastered on their faces.

"Well, thank Merlin that's over," said Fred as they went out of the doors into the glorious sunshine.

"I thought it's was quite easy," said Olly as she turned her face towards the sunshine and smiled.

"Yeah well you would," said James as he took her hand. "You're the Transfiguration freak after all."

Olly rolled her eyes at James' comment.

"How did you find the exam, Sage?" asked Fred looking at the abnormally quiet boy.

"Hmm?" said Sage looking up distractedly. "Oh, the exam? It was all right."

"Do you not want to do a blow by blow of what we wrote for each answer?" teased James.

"No, not really," Sage responded.

"What's wrong with you?" inquired Olly frowning a little.

"Nothing, I've just got a blinding headache."

James, Fred and Olly all burst out laughing.

"What?"

"It's no wonder you've got a headache," Olly explained. "You've been so tense all week it's no wonder that you haven't blown a blood vessel."

"I haven't been that bad," Sage said defensively.

"Yes you have, mate," said Jake as he came up behind them and clapped Sage on the shoulder. "I had a headache just looking at you in the past five days. I could never be that intense about an exam. I've never seen anyone like it."

Sage scowled a little.

"Actually, my sister is a little intense about exams," said Fred cheerfully. "It's probably why they make such a good couple."

The five of them laughed.

"Well, that's our last year nearly over," sighed James suddenly feeling a little downhearted. "We didn't even pull any pranks this year with everything that's been going on."

"Don't worry about it," laughed Fred. "We've still got to get Wells back."

* * *

James felt very nostalgic on the final day of Hogwarts. The next morning he would be boarding the train for the last time. It was the ending of his childhood he supposed. Soon he would be entering the working world no longer able to mess about as much as he had during his seven years at school. He wouldn't spend every day with Sage, Olly and Fred. He knew he would miss it. He would miss the laughter and sharing a dorm with his two best friends and all the silly things that they had got up to over the years. He might even miss the detentions, then again, maybe not.

The Great Hall was as noisy as ever that dinner time. It was almost emotional as friends huddled together as though terrified that they would never see each other again. The usual rules didn't seem to apply on the final night. James sat with Olly holding her hand. Across the table Sage and Roxy huddled together happily. Ava Love was sitting next to Fred with a bright smile on her face and even Jake was present sitting on Olly's other side occasionally glancing over his shoulder towards the Hufflepuff table.

"Got your eye on someone?" asked James quietly leaning behind Olly.

Jake grinned.

"Maybe," he said not giving anything away.

Professor McGonagall stood up just then tapping her glass with her knife to call attention to her for her final speech of the year. The Hall fell silent as every students turned to look at her.

"We have come to the end of another year," she began with a smile on her face, "and everyone is preparing to take another step forward in their lives. All our years will be moving up one and facing new challenges but our seventh year shall not return. I hope you will go out into the world and make something of yourselves, give all you have got. Who knows what any of you will turn your minds to? Maybe some of you will be Healers or Aurors or maybe even Quidditch players, a couple of you maybe even return to educate other young witches and wizards. It is sometimes hard to take those steps from childhood to adulthood, to take new paths that your lives may form but we hope that what you have learned here at Hogwarts will help you face each challenge –"

Suddenly, for the first time ever during a speech, Professor McGonagall was interrupted by Brett Wells, Head Boy, staggering to his feet. He had tears running down his face and he made his way towards the Headmistress.

"But, mummy, I don't want to leave," he cried as he reached Professor McGonagall and, falling to his knees, grasped her tightly around her thighs. "Please, let me stay."

The whole Hall burst out laughing as Professor McGonagall fought to prise the sobbing Wells away from her, his head buried in her stomach.

"Wells, this is terribly inappropriate," the Professor could only just be heard over the laughter. "Please, get control of yourself."

"Please, don't leave me, mummy," Wells sobbed on hysterically clutching Professor McGonagall even tighter, dangerously unbalancing her. "I don't want to go."

All the students were in stitches watching their Head Boy sobbing into their Headmistresses stomach as though he were a little boy. Even some of the other professors were trying to hide their smiles as they went to assist Professor McGonagall.

James grinned round at Fred, who had his trademark Weasley grin already stretched across his face.

"Great idea," he told him.

Fred shrugged modestly his arm wrapped around Ava who was in tears of laughter.

"Well, we had to go out with a bang."

* * *

Their seven years of Hogwarts were officially over and James was surprised by how his final year had turned out. He'd solved a twenty year old mystery, made friends with some unexpected people and he had Olly. He had already decided that he was going to ask her to move in with him. They had known each other since they had been born, it seemed pointless to wait. He turned to look at her sitting by the window, the sun streaming through her black locks, as she spoke to Jake.

James smiled as he glanced around the carriage. Sage and Roxy were sitting in one corner, talking quietly about Roxanne's desire to be a Healer, Fred was playing a game of exploding with Alex Flint who was frowning in concentration and Eric Nott had his nose stuck in a huge book on magical creatures. He sighed a little as leaned back against the chair and almost immediately he felt Olly's small hand creep into his. He glanced down.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

"Yeah," she told him with a small smile. "It feels strange though, you know, knowing that we'll never go back."

"I know what you mean," he told her with a grin. "What are you and Jake going to do?"

Olly shrugged then.

"I'm not quite sure but we'll figure something out. I suppose it might help once our parents have had a talk. You're right though. It'll be a lot easier for us to see each other now since we won't be living with our parents."

James squeezed her hand.

"You two will be fine."

"I'll be fine," she replied. "I've got you."

When the train pulled to halt at King's Cross Station James didn't quite know what to feel as he gathered his belongings. He felt quite sad not that he was planning on telling anyone about it. He didn't really know quite how to say goodbye to Hogwarts he supposed. How did one say goodbye to their childhood?

"Well this is it," said Eric with a grin as he pulled his bag down from the rack. "When we get of this train we're officially not longer school children, we're adults."

"Ewww, don't say that," Fred groaned. "I don't want to be an adult."

"Fred, you're going to work in your dad's shop," said Sage who now had Roxy tucked under his arm, "it's hardly the most grown up job in the world."

"Yeah, but it's still a job."

"Can I come and work it your dad's shop?" asked Alex looking a little miserable.

"What's wrong with you?" asked James.

"Aw, Alex does want to grow up either," Olly said. "He wants to be Peter Pan."

Everyone looked at her like she was crazy for a moment. They had absolutely no idea what she was talking about but Olly didn't bother to explain as they all squeezed their way down the corridors and out onto the platform. Alex and Eric said their goodbyes and then disappeared into the smoke.

"Well, I suppose this is it," said Jake turning to Olly as they all stood in the smoky platform.

"I suppose so," said Olly with a sad smile. "Owl me?"

"Sure I will."

Jake hugged Olly tightly.

"You'd better," she muttered into his ear as she squeezed him back.

"Hey Olly, Jake," said James just then.

Olly and Jake let go of each other and turned to look at where James was pointing. There emerging from the smoke were Blaise and Kerr surrounded by Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione. Olly glanced nervously at Jake and then glanced at James who took her hand. Slowly, the group of six made their way towards the six adults grouped loosely on the platform. Olly stopped in front of her mother and looked at her questioningly.

"Blaise and I had a talk," Kerr explained briefly with a smile.

"Now it's time the four of us had a talk," Blaise said.

James watched Olly's face carefully as she spotted that her parents were holding hands and he couldn't help but hold hers just a little tighter as a wide smile split her face. It had certainly been one hell of a last year and Merlin knew what life still had in store from this point on.

* * *

_Well there you have it.  
The last chapter.  
Please let me know what you think.  
I'm not entirely happy with it myself.  
I might end up tweaking it a little.  
So it's finally over.  
However, I will be doing a prequel with BlaiseKerr  
&& hopefully some one shots on James/Olly, Sage/Roxy and Fred/Ava.  
If you would like to be informed of when these are up then please let me know  
&& I will PM you.  
Thank you to everyone for sticking with this story until the very end.  
If you would like to share any thoughts or if you would like me to do you a specific one-shot please let me know.  
Much love._

_Kerr x._


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